Gunsmoke Alabama
by Lady C Andrews
Summary: The gang’s in their last year of high school…will this last year end with a ‘bang’?
1. School Blues

**Declaimer**: I don't own Trigun, oh boo-hoo. :-P

**Warning**: Alternate Universe (otherwise known as AU), they may be a little bit out of character too, sorry about that! Hopefully not too much, though.

**PRE-WARNING**: This story take's a twist in the second season (or Saga, take it as you will). Yes, there will probably be three seasons/sagas (well, three so far, I hope).

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**Pairings**: Vash/Meryl, Wolfwood/Millie, probably/others…probably.

**Genre**: Humor, Romance, Drama, Action/Adventure, more, more, and more!

**Summary**: Check out the everyday goings in Vash and friends' life! Can Vash survive High School? Can Wolfwood ever stop cursing? Can Knives ever stay out of trouble? Can Meryl adapt to this new town? And finally, can Millie ever go a day without pudding? Only one way to find out! Read! Read! READ! Oh, and review.

By the way, here are the ages of everyone: Everyone's seventeen (more or less). Yayzers. Everyone's in the twelfth grade.

**Author Note**: I just don't know when to quit! Here's another, and hopefully, it'll be better! Ya! Oh, just so y'all know, I don't live in Alabama. Hehe. Please read and review! The school was named Trigun High, but since I didn't post the story out on time, the school name was already taken…** /sighs /**

Major thanks to **kitsune** for beta-reading my story. Thanks a zillion and two!! You don't know how much it means to me to have you (An expert in Grammar and spelling) to beta-read my story!!

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_Gunsmoke Alabama_ -- By SWT

**Chapter I School Blues**

_Location: Kuroneko High School  
__Gunsmoke__, Alabama  
__8:20 AM, Monday_

Summer vacation was finally over, which meant school. School! Oh, how the very word made some unhappy students cringe. The thought made one sick to the stomach. School, how they despised it, loathed it. If only there was no such thing as that dreaded place. That place which is a prison for little kids, pre-teens, and teenagers alike. Some couldn't stand it, could not wait to get out. There were others who didn't mind, who actually ENJOYED the 'exciting' thought of that hellhole for children. Of course those students were constantly picked on and considered nerds. But no one at Kuroneko High felt that way about school. No, everyone here hated it. This place…this very building caused so much pain…so much suffering…Math….English…History…Oh! It pains to think of such things…school…high school, nonetheless.

"YEAH! ONE MORE YEAR AND WE'LL BE OUTTA HERE!" yelled one particular blonde that couldn't wait to start the new school year so it could be over with. He was pretty tall, maybe about six feet. He walked down the hallway with his best friend, Nicholas D. Wolfwood, priest in training, who, by the way, needed A LOT more training.

"Calm down, Vash. It's not that exciting, because we still have eight months of school ahead of us," Nicholas said, none too enthusiastically.

The tall blonde, known as Vash, grinned, with his hands thrown behind his head as he walked. "Yeah, but just think, after this year, we won't have to go anymore!" he shouted jumping up and landing hard on the tiled floor of the school building.

Nicholas shook his head, sighing. Vash and he had been best friends since they were in diapers, literally.

Vash grinned at his friend, "Hey, why don't we hang out tonight?" he asked excitedly, wanting to make some plans with his friend.

Nicholas shook his head. "No can do, I gotta pick up my cousin at the airport," he said, itching for a cigarette, but knowing that smoking was off limits in school. He sighed.

Vash scratched his head. "Your cousin? Well, bring him along too!"

Nicholas shook his head again. "I don't think **_she'll_** want to hang out with a guy she doesn't even know."

"Your cousin's a she?" the tall blonde asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep. She's moving in with my family."

"How come?" Vash was curious.

Nicholas didn't say anything as he saw a familiar face in the crowd and grinned. "Hey! Millie!" he shouted, waving his hand frantically to catch the girl's attention.

Millie Thompson, with a smile that could melt the Arctic and could've saved the Titanic, waved at the two boys. "Nicholas! Mr. Vash!"

Nicholas smiled at the sight of the girl. They'd been dating for two years, and he still loved her as much as he did when they started dating (AW!). He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Hey honey, how was your summer vacation?"

Millie thought for a moment. "Well, it was okay visiting Grandma Ann for the summer, but I missed you!" She gave Nicholas a bone-crashing hug.

"ACK!" The priest in training gasped.

Vash grinned. "Hey there, big girl."

Suddenly the school's intercom came on and the voice of their principal bellowed through. "Ah! Good morning, students! This is your principal, BDN! Welcome back to another glorious year at Trigun High!" He continued on.

Nicholas rolled his eyes at the announcement, "I almost forgot about Principal Brilliant Dynamites Neon…"

Vash grinned. "I didn't! I remember his office like it was yesterday!"

"That's because you were in it, like, every other day, Tongari." Nicholas grinned as his friend pouted childishly.

Millie giggled. "Well, you and Knives both won the award for 'Best Trouble Makers in the School'."

"Yeah, I still have that trophy in my room…those were the days…" Vash sighed, remembering the 'good ole' days'.

Before any further conversation could be brought up, the bell rung, signaling the start of their first period class. The guys said their goodbyes to Millie, who had a different first period class, and went their separate ways. The two walked up to a door marked "History 101" and went inside. The teacher had yet to arrive as they took their respective seats.

Vash leaned back in his chair, raising the front two legs off the ground. "Man, I'm so jealous of you," he said, glancing up at the ceiling.

Nicholas gave him a confused look. "Why's that?"

Vash shrugged, not moving his eyes from that one spot. "'Cause, you got someone you love, and who loves you. Look at me. I only have, uh, well, nothing but doughnuts!"

The dark-haired boy shook his head with a chuckle. "Is that it? Come on, Vash. What about Jessica?"

Vash turned to his friend, "Jessica? She's cool and everything, but I can't seem to make myself, well, you know, love her…" He turned his eyes back up to the ceiling.

Nicholas sighed, but before he could say anything else, a voice boomed through the room, scaring half the class and causing Vash to fall back onto the ground in surprise.

"ALL SHALL BOW BEFORE ME!" Vash's twin brother, Knives, stood at the front of the room, arms stretching out towards the ceiling. On either side of him were his two 'minions', Legato and Midvalley. "I shall destroy you all, filthy spiders!"

Vash blinked in confusion as he rubbed his now sore head. "Knives? What are you doing?" he asked his older twin.

Knives grinned at Vash. "Join me, brother, and together we shall be undefeatable!" He chuckled like a madman.

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Looks like your brother cracked again," he whispered to Vash quietly.

Vash nodded. "I guess mom forgot to give him his medication this morning."

Knives glared at Nicholas, "Would you like to share with the class, Wolfwood?"

Nicholas stood up. "As a matter of fact I would, Knives. You see…I think…" He moved over to stand in front of Knives, "…that you have a lot of sins…" Magically, his trusty portable confessional popped out of thin air, "to confess!" He puts it over Knives' head as the other students laughed.

Knives growled as he ripped the portable confessional from his head. "What?! Wolfwood, how dare you!" He threw it on the ground.

Before Nicholas could retort, a powerful voice boomed over all else. "What in heaven's hell is going on here?!" All eyes turned around to see their teacher, a very muscular tall man with a thick mustache and large brown eyes. He glared at the students in front of him. "What are you doing out of your seats, boys?!"

Legato grinned sheepishly and hurriedly went to his seat in the back of the classroom with Midvalley. They weren't stupid enough to go up against Mr. Pigrally. Nicholas nervously waved while making his way back to his seat next, to Vash, who was sitting up straight and watching Mr. Pigrally tower over his twin brother.

Knives gulped before backing away from the teacher. "Eh, good morning, Mr. Pigrally…did you have a nice, uh, summer vacation?"

Pigrally glared at the teen. "What do you think, maggot," He growled out, "knowing that you little trouble makers would be back! UGH! I HATE MY JOB!" He grabbed his hair, ready to pull it out as Knives made it to his seat, nervous still.

Pigrally soon forgot about the little incident and grinned. "Today we are learning about…the war between the planets!"

"Oh! Is this gonna be like Star Wars?!" one boy asked, raising his hand.

Mr. Pigrally glared at him before shouting out, "NO! Now be quiet!"

The boy shut his mouth and sank down in his chair. Mr. Pigrally really scared him sometimes, well, most of the time…okay, ALL of the time…

The history teacher continued on. "Anyhow, this war started in 2049…"

Vash raised his hand this time. "But, Mr. Pigrally, it's only 2004…" he started, a bit confused.

Mr. Pigrally turned his always-glaring eyes upon the blonde teenager. "Shut up, worm! This is for future reference!"

Vash blinked. "Uh, okay…"

So, that's how his first period class went, smoothly…eh, not exactly. After a long and agonizing lecture from Mr. Pigrally about random facts that had absolutely nothing to do with history, Vash, Nicholas, along with Knives, Legato, and Midvalley (who, might I add, had his precious saxophone, Sylvia, with him), headed to their second period class, which so happened to be English. Oh, how they hated that dreaded subject! I still do… shudders at the thought Anyway, as they walked through the crowded hallways, one random kid, whose name was Tomas, went swinging through the hallway, bumping into more random people. "HEE-YA! I AM TOMAS THE MIGHTY!" He was swinging from a strange…substance….from the ceiling…and ran straight into a locker.

Vash blinked. "Well, that was…" He allowed himself to trail off.

"Completely random…" Nicholas finished for him.

Knives snorted. "Pathetic beings. I don't know why mom insists on us staying here."

Vash grinned at his brother, "Oh, come on bro! It's not THAT bad! I like it here…"

Knives snorted again, "You would. I can't see how we are related…"

"Me either…" Nicholas agreed. "Vash is all…love and peace like, while you are psychopathic, crazy, bent on world domination, weird, creepy…"

Knives narrowed his eyes. "We get it already…"

Nicholas continued, "…a lunatic, mad, inhumane…"

Knives growled, "ALRIGHT! WE GET IT! JUST SHUT UP!"

Vash laughed as Nicholas shrugged. "Okay." They all then headed towards English where they met up with Millie. "Hey, big girl!" he called out to her for the second time that day.

"Nicky!" Millie shouted once she saw them making their way towards the room marked "_English_ Hell Room" with English being crossed out.

The group of teens walked into the room to find their English teacher inhaling the chalk. Their teacher was an elderly man with the soul of a demon (some said); he had short white hair and wooden teeth. He turned to the students as they took their seats. "Ha! Good morning children! I am your teacher, Mr. Hellborn. Please, don't fear the name…IT IS ONLY NATURAL!" He started to cackle evilly before he started to cough and hack. "Ugh…ANYWAY! It's time for ENGLISH! AH! I JUST LOVE ENGLISH!"

The students stared at him with wide eyes as he picked up a piece of chalk and begin writing something on the blackboard. Some of the students covered their ears as the chalk made a horrible screeching sound. It was very hard to…interpret the handwriting as most of the students squinted at the board.

Vash sighed. "Another year with Mr. Hellborn."

Nicholas chuckled. "Yeah, I heard that he was actually born in Hell."

"Isn't that a place down in Michigan?" Vash asked, sounding slightly confused. "Ya know, Hell, Michigan?"

Nicholas chuckled. "Yeah, I heard in Michigan, Hell freezes over." The two laughed at the stupid joke. Eh, right…

"Yeah, oh, I heard that there's a Hooker in California," Vash said with a grin.

Nicholas grinned, too. "There is? I thought hookers were all around this place…"

"You two be quiet or I'll send you to BLUE BALL, PENNSYLVANIA!" The teacher shouted at the two, earning disturbed looks from the class.

Nicholas stared at him with an incredulous look. "Shit, man, that's gross!"

"Watch your MOUTH, Mr. WOLFWOOD!" Mr. Hellborn pointed his ruler at him.

Nicholas crossed his arms, murmuring a 'whatever' and 'damn teachers'. And thus, that was how second period went. After class ended, the students were more than happy to be let out, and most rushed to their third period class, which was gym for the Trigun group. So, the group went to gym, did whatever they had to do, which was get into trouble (thanks to Knives), play dodge ball, which ended up with Vash having a concussion, Nicholas with a broken nose, and a new gym teacher (the old one was suffering from amnesia (Vash: I didn't mean to!)). After school, the students rushed out happily.

Vash held an ice pack over his head as he walked alongside with Nicholas, who had a band-aid on his nose. "Man, gym was hectic…Ow, my head…"

Nicholas nodded. "Yeah, and here I thought gym was gonna be one of the better classes. Well, look on the bright side, at least we get a new gym teacher." He looked around. "Hey, where's your brother?"

Vash shrugged. "You know him, he never walks home with us…oh, my achin' head…" He glanced up, "Hey, there's Millie," he said spotting the tall girl. She didn't have the last two periods with Nicholas and himself.

Millie walked up to them with a bag of something and her backpack tossed over her shoulder. "Hi guys! Want some pudding?" she asked, taking out a cup of pudding and quickly devouring it. "Yum!"

Nicholas shook his head. "Uh, no thanks sweetie. I gotta get going." He looked at his watch. "My cousin will be at the airport in a half hour." He walked over to his motorcycle.

Vash nodded. "Alright, hey, I'll be at your house around, uh, seven, okay? I wanna meet this cousin of yours!" Vash grinned as his friend started up the engine to his ride.

Millie agreed. "Me too! I bet your cousin is as nice as you are, Nicky!"

Vash laughed. "Nicholas nice? That'll be the day!"

The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes, then turned to the tall girl, "Millie, want a ride home?"

Millie shook her head. "No, I'm fine!"

Nicholas sighed and placed his helmet on his head. "Alright, I'll see you guys later, bye!" And then, he was gone.

"Bye, Nicky!" Millie waved as her boyfriend rode off into the sunset…eh, okay, not sunset considering that it was only four o'clock.

"Well, I'll see you later, Millie," Vash said as he made his way to his brand new red Corvette Convertible. He rocks!

Millie waved to him as he left in his nice car. After he was gone, she left to walk home. She didn't mind walking; as a matter of fact, she quite enjoyed it. Nicholas didn't like the fact that she walked home by herself, but she insisted on it. Millie hummed a tune as she walked the five blocks to her home while eating pudding. Walking was good exercise, as her big-big sister always said.

A mysterious black cat, who didn't seem to have any real purpose, appeared out of thin air and did a few cartwheels on the sidewalk. "Nyao!"

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Previews for the Next _Episode_: Vash looked up with a grin to see his friend's cousin when his jaw dropped open. He has never in his young life seen anyone so…so beautiful, so amazing, and so…so…short!

Next Episode: **Cousins**

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And thus, that ends chapter one. What did you all think?

I like doughnuts, I like pudding, I like to snooze, and I like reviews!

**_SapphireWhiteTigress_**


	2. Cousins

Before I start the story, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! It really means a lot to me. Thanks to **emmablk1**, **vashluver1**, **KeNsHiNsGuRL**, **Meryl Stryfe,** **:-)**, **fairsyke** **Neptune Butterfly** **Trip Machine Survivor,** **somebody** (yeah, I hated school) **Kitsune** and **DarkGoddess29**. Thanks everyone, I honestly thought that this story sucked. With your belief, Tinker Bell will live once more! **starts singing a random song **Anyway, please, enjoy this chapter!

And I owe everything to **Kitsune** for beta-reading my story!

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_Gunsmoke Alabama_ -- By SWT

**Chapter II: Cousins**

_Location: Gunsmoke International Airport (GIA)  
__4: 25 PM_

The ride to the airport was a short one as Nicholas Wolfwood parked his motorcycle in the semi-crowded parking lot. He took his helmet off his head and made his way to the entrance of the airport, taking out one of his signature crooked cigarettes. He lit it and took a long drag. "Ah, my one salvation," he murmured, leaning up against the side of the building.

"Hey, Wolfwood!" a voice called out a little further away from him. Nicholas turned around to see Vash making his way over. He arched an eyebrow.

"Vash? What are you doing here?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Well, instead of waiting until seven to see your cousin, I thought I'd come here with you. So, where is she?" he asked, looking around.

Nicholas put out his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe and headed inside the building, Vash following behind. It didn't take long before Nicholas noticed a dark-haired girl with a pink suitcase coming into view. "There she is!"

Vash looked up with his signature grin on his face to see his best friend's cousin when his jaw dropped to the ground. He had never in his young life seen anyone so...so beautiful, so amazing looking, and so...so...short! He stared as the girl looked up at the two males, and instantly their eyes locked. Something sparked inside of Vash that he couldn't quite place. He shook his head as the girl turned away and smiled at Nicholas.

Nicholas walked up to her and gave her a big hug. "Hey there, short stuff!"

The girl returned the hug. "What took you so long? I was waiting for at least an hour." she said once they had released each other.

Nicholas shrugged, taking out another cigarette. "School, ya know, mid-day traffic. Anyway, that needle-noggin' over there is my best friend, Vash. Vash, this is my cousin, Meryl." He introduced the two.

Vash was speechless as he stared at Meryl. She stared back nervously, not used to being stared at like that. "What are you staring at?"

Vash snapped back to reality and smiled sheepishly. "Uh, nothing! So, y'all ready to go now?"

Nicholas rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Meryl, why don't you let Vash carry your bags?"

Vash gave Nicholas an "are-you-outta-your-right-mind" look. "Why me?!"

The dark-haired boy smirked. "'Cause, it's the gentlemanly thing to do. Be a boy scout and help out."

Meryl glanced from one boy to the other before handing her suitcase to the taller blonde. "I hope this isn't too much trouble for you, Mr. Vash."

Vash shook his head as he took the pink suitcase. "No trouble at all! And, uh, it's just Vash."

Meryl nodded, heading out the door following behind her cousin. Vash trailed behind, carrying the girl's suitcase, looking like a lost puppy. Once they were outside in the parking lot, Nicholas headed Meryl a helmet. "Here, put this on."

Meryl gave him an incredulous look. "Nicholas, I told you I don't like motorcycles. Why didn't you bring your dad's car?"

The priest-in-training sighed. "Because, I came here right after I got out of school. I didn't have the time to stop and pick up the van. But if you don't want to ride with me on my motorcycle, you could always get a ride with Vash." He glanced at Vash.

Vash grinned as usual. "Sure! My car's over there." He pointed to his red Corvette Convertible.

Meryl sighed. _'I'm only here for a few hours and already things are getting complicated. Well, I'm sure it's better than back home.'_ "Okay..." She headed over to Vash's car with the boy in tow as Nicholas put his helmet over his head and waited for the two. Vash popped the trunk to put Meryl's suitcase inside before opening the door for the girl, being the gentleman that he was. Once Meryl was inside the car, with her seatbelt on, of course, Vash rushed to the driver's side and hopped in, starting the engine. Soon, both he and Nicholas were on the road to home.

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Knives paced around his little 'hideout', where his minions, Legato, Midvalley, Chapel, Caine, Dominique, Rai-Dai, and Zazie watched him as he continued to walk back and forth, murmuring to himself. Why they hired a twelve year old kid to be in their group is beyond me.

Zazie raised an eyebrow. "What's his problem?" he whispered to Legato, who should know almost everything about Knives, since they had been friends (well, Knives had been bossing Legato around) since they were babies.

Legato shrugged. "Obviously, he's plotting world domination again," he explained, and the others nodded in agreement.

Dominique shook her head. "He will never give up, will he?"

Knives turned his cold blue eyes on them. "WILL YOU SHUT UP?! YOU'RE RUINING MY CONCENTRATION!" he yelled at the small group before him.

They all sighed, but further conversation was cut off as a voice called through the door that was at the top of some wooden steps. "Knives!"

Knives paled. "Uh, um...Yes, mother?!"

The others snickered as Knives made a mad dash up the stairs. Chapel chuckled. "The price he must pay for having a 'secret hideout' in his basement." The others laughed at that.

Knives ran up the stairs to see his mother, Rem, staring at him with a leash in her hands, "Now, you know that you have some responsibilities to take care of, and one of them is taking Duchess for a walk."

Knives grumbled, not waiting to take the Rottweiller for her daily walk.

Rem shook her head and handed him the dog's leash. "Now, she's your dog. You need to take care of her." She was talking to him like he was a five-year-old!

Knives sighed. "Yes, mother." He grumbled some more before walking past his mother to the kitchen where a large Rottweiller was sitting by the door. "Come on, Duchess..." he murmured. The dog barked before jumping up on Knives and licking him. "Ah! Damn mutt!" he growled, clasping the leash on the dog's collar.

Rem walked into the kitchen. "Oh, Knives, where's Vash?"

Knives shrugged. "What am I? My brother's keeper?"

"As a matter of fact, you are, mister. Well, if you see him, tell him to hurry home. And don't forget to pick up Katherine!" she said as she started making dinner. "Are your friends staying for dinner?"

Knives rolled his eyes before opening the door. "No." He closed the door, not wanting to hear any more from his mother.

Rem shook her head. "That boy, what am I going to do with him?" She shrugged and started stirring some stuff that was in a large pot over the stove while humming her favorite song.

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Vash cruised down the nearly deserted road with Nicholas following close behind. He glanced at Meryl, not exactly knowing what to say. He cleared his throat, wanting to start a conversation with the girl. "So, uh, why'd you decide to come down here?"

Meryl, startled by the sudden voice of Vash, looked up at him. "Oh, uh, I needed to get away from my old lifestyle..."

Vash nodded, accepting that answer. "Sounds good to me."

Meryl shrugged. "So, how long have you known Nicholas?"

"We've been friends since, well, forever. So, where are you from? Do you have any friends back at home?"

Meryl glanced out of the window, resting her right elbow on the door and placing her chin in the palm of her hand. "Washington State. And no, I never really had many friends."

Vash stared at her in shock. "What? A pretty girl like you? You're bluffing."

Meryl smiled and shook her head. "Really, I don't. I've always been a loner by nature."

"Well, that's gonna have to change. You're gonna love it here! Say, how old are you, anyway?" he asked, eyes turning back to the road.

"Well, I just turned seventeen two weeks ago," she stated somewhat shyly, folding her hands in her lap.

Vash grinned. "Well, happy belated birthday." He turned the wheel, making a left.

Meryl smiled at him in thanks and turned to look out the side window. _'Well, he seems pretty nice. I guess it won't be so bad living down here.'_ Already she was making friends, well, one anyway. But hey, it's progress. Meryl glanced back at the boy she had just met and thought, _'Besides, he is kinda cute.'_

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Knives sighed as Duchess pulled him down the street. He hated walking the dog, almost as much as he hated high school. But he would train this dog to be ruthless, to obey only him. It somewhat worked, against his brother, Vash. This dog loved almost everyone, except for Vash...it was weird...

Knives grinned down at the dog, thinking of her hatred towards his twin, "I've trained you well, Duchess."

The dog looked up at him as if she knew what he was saying, and barked twice. _'Master Knives is one of the most awesome owners in the world! Now, if only I can get rid of that blabbering idiot View, eh, Val, uh...Vash! Yeah. That's his name! Oh! Bathroom break!_' The dog pulled Knives towards a tree and sniffed it, circling around it a few times before crouching down to do her business. Before, uh, going to the restroom, she gave Knives a look that called for privacy. Knives sighed and turned away to allow the dog the solitude she needed. When she was done, Knives headed towards a large house and knocked on the door.

Soon after, an elderly woman opened the door. "Hello, who are you?" she asked, squinting at Knives to see him better.

Knives rolled his eyes. "It is I, Knives, Mrs. Johnson. I am here to collect Katherine." '_I really do hate my life...why couldn't I be born on a spaceship and go crazy killing everyone onboard except for me and my idiot brother? Oh well.'_

Mrs. Johnson blinked at him. "Oh! Knives! You're Rem's boy, right? Hold on while I get your sister." She disappeared back into the house.

Knives sighed in annoyance. _'And why couldn't I be an only child?'_ he thought miserably.

"Knives!" a voice shouted as a ten year old girl rushed out of the house. She had long blond hair and blue eyes. "So, what'cha get me?" was the first thing she asked as the two, with the dog, made their way back home.

Knives growled. "Nothing," he said firmly, hoping she would shut up.

Katherine pouted. "What? How could you not get me anything! I'm telling mom!"

Knives shrugged, not really giving a rat's a--eh--butt. "So? What can she do?"

The girl grinned. "Nothing, but she can do something when I tell her about the time you set her famous painting on fire. Or the time you snuck out of the house, or even the time when you ruined her lovely evening gown. I mean, come on! You knew you couldn't fit into it!" She laughed at Knives' reddening face.

Knives glared at her. "You'd better not! And I wasn't trying it on!"

Katherine continued to grin devilishly. "Whatever you say, bro, and I still haven't told Vash that. He would've died laughing! I can't believe mom never found out her precious gown was missing! Wait until she finds out, AND Vash!"

Knives paled and hurriedly reached into his pocket. "Okay, here's ten bucks, now stay quiet!" He forcefully handed her the money and she took it with a grin, showing off a missing tooth.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" They were now in front of the house and Katherine skipped inside and went straight to her room, saying a brief hello to their mother before closing her bedroom door.

Knives unleashed the dog and made his way to his room, knowing that his little crew were long gone by now. Gosh, he hated siblings. (Don't we all?)

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Vash slowed his car to a stop as they finally got to Nicholas' house. "Well, here's Nick's place. I live down the street." He pointed to a house that was across from Nicholas' home and further down the street.

Meryl nodded before getting out. "Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Vash." She smiled as Vash popped the trunk again so she could get her stuff. Behind them, Nicholas pulled up to the driveway.

Vash watched as Meryl got her stuff and headed towards the house. He waved to them both. "See ya, Wolfwood. See ya, Meryl!" Then he moved the car down the street into his own driveway.

Nicholas and Meryl headed into the house as Nicholas called out. "Mom, Dad! I'm home!"

Suddenly, a noise was heard as a young boy of about seven with dark hair and brown eyes came running into the room holding an airplane, pretending to be flying. He stopped as he saw the young girl standing with his brother. "Meryl!" He ran up to her and gave her a big hug as she knelt down to his level.

Nicholas rolled his eyes, "Let her breathe, nimrod." He tapped the boy on his head.

Nimrod, eh, David, the young boy, released Meryl and stuck his tongue out at Nicholas. He then turned around and ran up the stairs. "Mom! Dad! Meryl's here! Meryl's here!" he yelled as he ran, his fondness for his older cousin apparent in his voice. "And Nicholas is being a jerk!"

"Am not!" Nicholas' denial trailed after him.

Meryl smiled at the sight of her cousins. It has been so long since she was in a warm, loving home. She shook her head, deciding not to dwell on unwanted thoughts. Two figures then emerged from the top of the staircase, followed by little David. The woman, obviously Nicholas' mother, smiled down at Meryl when she saw her.

"Meryl! It's great to see you again!" She rushed down the stairs, quickly engulfing her young niece in a tight hug. It had been so long since she saw her last

Meryl's eyes grew wide as the feeling of numbness took over her body. "Ack! Nice...to...see you too....Aunt Janet..." she gasped out.

Nicholas sighed, smacking his hand to his forehead. "Mom, you're killing her," he said calmly as Meryl's face started to turn a disturbing shade of blue.

Nicholas mother, Janet, released Meryl as the realization drawn on her. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry!" She smiled apologetically at her.

Meryl gasped for air, grabbing her chest as she wheezed a bit. Once she had finally composed herself, she smiled at her aunt and uncle. Her uncle, Demetrius, walked up to her and gave her a soft, non-bone-crushing hug. "It's good to see you again, Meryl." After about two seconds, he released her, much to Meryl's relief.

"You too. So, um, where do I sleep?" she asked them.

Janet grabbed her bags. "Oh, you can have Michael's old room."

Meryl nodded. "Where is Michael?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Overseas someplace."

David pouted. "Oh man, I was gonna make Michael's room into a game room! Now where am I gonna keep all my games?"

Nicholas made a thoughtful face. "How about the trashcan?"

"That's not funny, fart-for-brains!" The younger child stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"David, no name calling." Mrs. Wolfwood scowled the youngest Wolfwood child.

"But Nicholas started it!"

Mrs. Wolfwood shook her head. "Nicholas, don't provoke David."

Nicholas' eyes widened. "But--but--but I didn't do anything! Why do I always get blamed? Why do you always take his side?"

David grinned. "'Cause, I'm the youngest."

"And I'm the oldest!" Nicholas challenged back.

"I'm cutest!" The child stuck his tongue out at his older brother.

Demetrius sighed. "Those two will never get along."

Meryl laughed at her cousins' bickering. _'It's been so long since I've laughed.'_ "I don't want to impose, I could just sleep on the couch." She said, earning looks from them all.

"Absolutely not!" they all said in unison, and Meryl took a step back with her hands up.

"Eh, okay then..." she said with a nervous grin on her face.

David sighed. "Fine, I guess I can store my games in Nicholas' room." He raced up the stairs to his room to carry out his plan.

Nicholas growled as he ran after him. "You are NOT bringing your garbage into **_my_** room!

Meryl grinned at her aunt and uncle. Her Aunt Janet smiled lovingly at her. "It's great to have you here with us, Meryl."

Meryl nodded. "And it's great to be here." She made her way up the stairs to her new room, her uncle and aunt trailing behind her.

Outside the house, the fight between the two brothers could be heard clearly through the windows, where a certain black cat lay sleeping on the window sill. The cat lifted its head up, showing large yellowish-green eyes. "Nyao?"

--------------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: Vash stared at the picture in complete shock. He blinked. And blinked again. And blinked a third time. "Knives...is that a picture of..." He trailed off, looking at the picture in amazement.

Knives beamed, in a slightly scary way. "This is one of the best things my brilliant and incomparable mind has come up with!"

Vash continued to stare, still not able to believe that his brother, the crazy one in the family, would draw something so...so...so..."

Next Episode: **Love at First Sight? Are You Kidding Me?**

--------------------

Heh, that black cat is like Porky Pig, "Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks!" lol.

I really hope no one minds the fact that I gave Vash, Knives, and Wolfwood siblings. Sorry if no one likes the idea... :-(

Roses are red, violets are blue, I like reviews, won't you?

_**SapphireWhiteTigress**_


	3. Love at First Sight? Are You Kidding Me?

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed!! I am happy, that I am. You kids are worthy, that you are. I shall go now, that I will. ENJOY THE STORY!**_

-----------------

_Gunsmoke Alabama_ -- By SWT

**Chapter III: Love At First Sight? Are You Kidding Me?**

_Location: Vash's house  
__5:40 PM, Monday_

Vash gently knocked on the door which led to his brother's room. Normally, he'd just barge in like he owned the place. Of course, his brother would yell at him and whatnot, but he usually didn't care. Right now, though, he really didn't felt like hitting the hard ground outside his brother's window. A voice came through the other side of the door. "What is it?!" It was none too pleased.

Vash gingerly opened the door, peeking inside the room. "Eh, hey bro," he said, finding his brother painting on an easel.

Knives briefly looked up from his work to spare his brother a glance. "What do you want?"

Vash walked in, closing the door softly behind him and plopping himself on Knives' bed. Knives rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his painting. "I just wanna talk to you. What'cha painting?" he asked, laying down on the bed so his head was hanging off, looking upside down at his twin.

Knives grinned. "Just a little something. Now what do you want to talk about, ole' lovable brother of mine?" (That was meant to sound sarcastic.)

Vash was silent for a moment, contemplating his thoughts. Then he spoke. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he trailed his eyes up to the ceiling.

Knives turned slightly, giving his brother an incredulous look. "Why the hell are you asking me?"

Vash sighed, feeling the slight sensation of blood rushing towards his head. "I was just asking. Do you?"

Knives raised an eyebrow as he dipped his paintbrush in the red paint before throwing it across his picture-in-progress. "Not exactly. Love's not really my field of study, brother." He turned to Vash with a slightly disgusted look on his face. "Why do you ask?"

Vash grinned, daydreaming about a certain female he met only an hour ago. "Well, you know that Nick has a cousin, right? And that she's gonna be living here for a while? I met her today..." He trailed off, thinking of her gray eyes. (And this is where I gag **gags **)

Knives shook his head. "And you're telling me that you've fallen in love with her? You are more pathetic than I thought, brother."

The younger twin sighed. "I know, it sounds lame, but..."

"You don't even know anything about her." Knives growled, dampening his paintbrush with the black paint and throwing it across the picture as he had done with the red in a furious effect.

"I do know some stuff about her..." Vash responded.

"Like what, pray tell?" Knives' eyes never left his painting.

Vash sighed dreamily. "Well, I know that she's Nick's cousin, her name is Meryl, she has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen, she recently just turned seventeen two weeks ago, she's gorgeous and pretty short, her smile could put the sun to shame, her hair's—"

Knives cut him off. "Vash, please spare me the gruesome details," he said, making a sickened face.

Vash shrugged as he got up from his position, feeling slightly dizzy from all the blood rushing to his head. "So, what'cha painting?" he repeated his earlier question.

Knives smirked his infamous maniacal smirk as he turned his now-finish painting to Vash. "What'cha think, Stampede?" he asked, using one of Vash's many nicknames.

Vash stared at the picture in complete shock. He blinked. And blinked again. And blinked a third time. "Knives...is that a picture of..." he trailed off, looking at the picture in utter amazement.

Knives beamed, in a slightly scary way. "This is one of the best things my brilliant and incomparable mind has come up with!"

Vash continued to stare, still unable to believe that his brother, the crazy one in the family, would draw something so...so...so..."Cute!" Vash finally managed to say.

The picture itself was of a very familiar-looking black cat with large, ADORABLE eyes (Think "Puss In Boots" from Shrek 2). The cat was sitting on a wooden table with a red bow around its neck. Vash couldn't contain himself any longer. His eyes grew watery, his cheeks started to puff out, and after a long, agonizing minute, he exploded into a fit of laughter. Knives scowled at him in disappointment. "Are you laughing at me? Are you actually laughing at me?!"

Vash raised a hand up, holding the other one to his aching stomach in an attempt to stop his laughing fit, but to no avail. "It's just...Hehehe...hilarious...that, hehehe, that YOU would paint...hehehe...a cute adorable picture of a...a...kitty!" He fell into another fit of laughter and found himself rolling on the floor.

Knives glared. "I gotta make a living, don't I? I don't see you bringing home any money." He turned back around to his picture, thinking that he had outdone himself this time.

Vash shook his head as he headed out the door, nearly running into Katherine. "Hey Kit-Kat."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that and dinner's ready," she said before skipping down the hall.

Vash's eyes instantly lit up. "FOOD!" (He sounds like my brother!) He quickly rushed out the door, down the hall and down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. His favorite time of the day, well, next to breakfast and lunch. He almost tripped over the dog, who growled at him. "Eh, sorry Duchess..." He tiptoed around the dog as she warily looked at him, and then walked into the kitchen, where his mother was serving dinner. "Hey, mom!"

Rem glanced up. "Hey, honey, we're having your favorite for dessert."

Vash's eyes brightened even more. "Doughnuts?!" Rem nodded and Vash decided that he couldn't be happier that day. "YAY!"

--------------------

_The Next Day  
__Kuroneko High  
__8:35 AM, Tuesday_

Ah, the first day at her new school. How..._marvelous_, Meryl thought, as she slowly walked into her calculus class. She was a bit anxious about starting her first day at Kuroneko High. Why would they name the school "Black Cat High," anyway? _Must be their mascot,_ she decided.

Standing at the front of the medium-sized room was a middle-age man with tan-colored hair and a pair of bifocal glasses. He was dressed in a gray suit with a very bright red tie (don't ask). He looked up as Meryl walked into the room and smiled at her.

"Ah! You must be Ms. Meryl Stryfe!" he greeted as he looked to his class. "Students, we have a new student joining us this year. Please welcome Meryl Stryfe!"

Meryl nervously waved to the class as they watched her like a hawk.

Her teacher, Mr. Anderson, gestured to a seat next to a tall, happy-looking girl with brown hair. "Meryl, why don't you sit next to Millie Thompson? Millie, raise your hand!" Millie frantically waved to the girl as she made her way over to the seat next to her. Once there, Meryl awkwardly took her seat next to the seemingly energetic girl.

Millie smiled brightly at her new classmate. "Hi! I'm Millie Thompson!"

'_Well, that was what the teacher said...'_ Out loud she said, "Uh, I'm Meryl Stryfe...I just moved here yesterday..."

Millie nodded. "You're gonna love it here! Wait until you meet Nicholas Wolfwood! He's really great and he's my boyfriend."

Meryl blinked at her. "You're Nick's girlfriend?"

The taller girl blinked in confusion. "You know my Nicky?"

Meryl laughed at the thought of someone calling him 'Nicky' knowing how much he hated being called that. "Well, yeah, he's my cousin."

Millie's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! He said that his cousin would be moving in with him!" She magically pulled out a cup of...pudding...from somewhere, Meryl was afraid to ask. Millie handed her a cup. "Want some?"

Meryl nervously shook her head. "Eh, no...thanks..."

The tall girl shrugged and started eating her pudding right there in class as the teacher went on teaching them. "Can someone please tell me the answer to this question...?" He paused for a dramatic effect. "What is the answer to...two plus two?" Everyone fell anime-style from their seats.

Meryl looked at Millie. "He can't be for real, can he?"

Millie only smiled while eating her lovely pudding. "I'm afraid so, Meryl."

Meryl sighed. "But I thought we were in twelfth grade...not first."

The taller girl only shrugged once more, too much into her third cup of pudding and Meryl started to wonder where she got the pudding from.

--------------------

_Lunch Room  
__12:05 PM_

Millie graciously showed Meryl around the school pointing out specific landmarks and the student body and whatnot. Meryl found out that Millie was an extremely kind person with the heart of a pure child and blah, blah, blah. They instantly became friends (I mean, it wouldn't be a "Trigun" story if they weren't!). Now it was time for lunch, and from past experience, Meryl was afraid of what lunch awaited them.

Meryl sat down at a small table with Millie. Millie was already talking to Nicholas, who had been there before they arrived. The short girl sighed and folded her arms on the table, placing her head on top of them. She closed her eyes, deciding that a small nap wouldn't hurt anyone, and started drifting off to sleep...that is, until she heard a voice behind her.

"Hi!" the voice nearly shouted into her ear, causing her to jump from her seat and almost fall on the floor.

Meryl turned around to see the same tall blond she had met yesterday and offer a small smile. "Hi Vash." She turned back around and rested her head on the table.

"Um, hey, I want you to meet my brother!" Vash suddenly blurted out, grabbing another tall teenager that was standing a few inches from him, this one a lighter blond. The other boy protested, glaring at his brother.

Meryl turned around in her seat to greet the other boy, and froze. The boys looked almost exactly alike, except the other one looked much colder and meaner and, uh, not nice.

Vash grinned, then introduced the two. "This is my twin brother Knives! Knives, this is Meryl, Wolfwood's cousin!" Vash introduced the two.

Knives grinned as well, but while Vash looked goofy when he grinned, Knives looked down-right scary. "So, this is Meryl...I heard a lot about you..."

Meryl raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Knives was about to say something when Vash interrupted. "Um, Knives, don't you have something to destroy?"

The lighter blond paused in thought. "You're right, brother. I shall see you all later, but right now, I must find Legato!" And so, he ran off.

Vash sighed in relief. "Well, that was close..."

"What was close?" Meryl asked in genuine confusion, tilting her head to the side. Vash instantly thought she looked so darn cute when she was confused.

Vash laughed nervously. "Uh, nothing! So..." He took a seat next to her and pulled out a box of doughnuts from, eh, a conveniently set plot-hole. Yeah, that's right. "How are things?" He plopped one doughy treat into his mouth.

Meryl blinked as a few crumbs flew from his mouth and down her shirt. She glared at him as he smiled, oblivious to her unneeded shower of saliva and soggy doughnut crumbs. She sighed and turned away from Vash, not answering his question. She really didn't feel like smashing his head in. It was, after all, her first day of school here.

Before anyone could say anything else, a huge explosion was heard in the kitchen, and all heads turned to see a smog-covered Knives and Legato sitting on the ground. All in all, they looked quite comical with their smoked-covered clothes and blackened faces, as a cloud of smoke hovered around them.

Legato frowned as he turned to Knives. "Perhaps we overdid it with the two gallons of gasoline?"

Knives glared at him and stood up. "Quiet, I knew what I was doing."

"Knives Saverem and Legato Bluesummers!" A loud, scary voice boomed over the lunchroom. The two boys in question turned to see their principal, BDN, marching towards them.

The two quickly stood up at attention, staring nervously at the principal. "Uh, yes sir?" Knives asked, a bit sheepishly.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he roared, reminding them of a hungry lion. They were the prey.

Vash shook his head as he watched his brother and Legato get chewed out by the principal, yet again. It never ceases to amaze him how much trouble his twin brother could get into.

Wolfwood chuckled from his seat next to Millie. "I guess the destructiveness runs in the family, eh, Vash?"

Vash grinned sheepishly. "Guess so." He went back to his wonderful doughnuts.

And so, the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of that period. All the 'happy' students trotted off to class.

The day didn't progress much differently. Sure, the biology room blew up twice, twelve kids were sent to the emergency room, and three teachers were replaced, but hey, it was a typical day at Kuroneko High.

"Moo! Eh, Nyao!" went the cat.

--------------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: Nicholas and Meryl stood in front of the door of a fairly large house. "Well, this is the place, cuz."

Meryl narrowed her eyes. "I still refuse to go out with this boy."

"Oh, come on Mer'! Just think of it like this: you're giving to the needy!"

"How am I giving to the needy?"

"Cuz, this boy is _very_ needy."

Next Episode: **Uh-Oh, You're in Trouble!**

--------------------

**to the tune of "Old King Cole" **Old Queen Sapphire was a merry old soul, but not old was she. She lived in a den, and had not three hens, and wrote fanfics for free. Every fanfic had a review, and very cool reviews were they. Uh, tweedle dee, tweedle dee, tweedle dee, dee, dee, went the reviews you see. Oh, there's none so rare, as can compare, so review Sapphire's stories for me! (Stay tune if you want more silly rhymes!)

**_SapphireWhiteTigress_**


	4. Uh Oh, You're In Trouble!

_Gunsmoke Alabama_ -- By SWT

**Chapter IV: Uh-oh, You're in Trouble!**

_Location: The Wolfwood Residence  
__6:34 PM, Friday_

Meryl sat in her new room, which had previously been owned by Michael Carter Wolfwood, eldest Wolfwood son (who is currently overseas with the Navy), staring out the window. Since it was close to fall, the sun was beginning to descend behind the mountains, casting a beautiful colorful hue of color around the city. It was much more peaceful than back at home. The scenery was calming, the people were friendly (especially Millie), it was hardly ever crowded, which she liked, and school wasn't half bad with her cousin and the few friends she had made so far. Already it had been a week living here in Gunsmoke, and quite frankly, she liked it here.

A loud bang was heard outside her room, causing her to jump up slightly and turn her attention to her new bedroom door. Yelling could be heard followed by a sound of laughter and another bang and Meryl couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Ow! You little brat!" That was certainly Nicholas' voice crying out.

A childish laugh was heard as the sound of footsteps ran down the hall and then a set of stairs. Meryl, being curious, decided to see what was going on between her two cousins. She got up, made the short distance from the window to the door, and opened it for a peek.

She barely saw the tall figure running past the door and down the stairs, yelling curses that she didn't even know existed. Ah, her older cousin sure was creative when it came to such things.

She shook her head, stepping out of her room. Aunt Janet and Uncle Demetrius were gone for the weekend, going on some sort of vacation cruise for two that they had won, leaving the three of them with the house for the weekend. Of course, they left Meryl in charge of the small group, since she was the more 'mature' out of the three. So far, they'd been gone for two hours, and already David and Nicholas weren't getting along.

She had to take a step back as another blurry figure ran past her and down the hall. She sighed; it had been a long while since she was in the company of her two cousins. Before...she shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She took a hesitant step out of the room and looked down the hall, but the figure that had run past her was now down on the first floor. She cling every time something broke. 'Aunt Janet's gonna kill me...that had better not be her new vase breaking...'

_**CRASH!**_

Two loud gasps and then an 'uh-oh' was followed. Meryl groaned, making her way down the stairs to see what the two boys had done this time. Once she had descended, she saw Nicholas and David staring at a mess on the wood floor. Meryl felt the blood drain from her face. They _had_ broken the vase...the expensive, beautiful one...the one that cost over 2,000 dollars...Aunt Janet's favorite one with the birds...

"What did you two do?!" she yelled, horrified at the sight before her.

David laughed nervously in his seven-year-old way. "It was Nicholas' fault!"

Nicholas glared at his younger brother. "My fault? You little brat! You threw the damn football!"

"I'm gonna tell mom that you said a bad word!" David glared back at his brother with equal vigor.

Meryl looked towards the ceiling, her hand on her forehead. "Why me? Why?" She turned to the boys. "You know that vase was one of a kind! Your mother is gonna kill me!"

Nicholas shrugged, pulling out a cigarette. "No sweat, lil' cuz, we just find a replacement."

Meryl glared at him, walking over and taking the cig from his hands before he could light it, then throwing it in the trashcan. "Did you not hear me when I said it was _one of a kind_? _Irreplaceable_? Meaning _it can not be found ANYWHERE_?!"

Nicholas grinned. "Maybe so, but I know this real talented guy who can make an exact duplicate. Mom won't know the difference! _And she will never know_." He directed that last line to a certain seven year old boy, who only gave a Cheshire cat grin.

David sat on the floor. "Well, I won't tell if you...give me something."

Persuasive, ain't he? Nicholas could've sworn that David was adopted. The brat was a true con artist. He must've been hanging around Vash's younger sister again. "Fine...but if mom ever finds out that her precious vase was ever broken, it's your ass."

David tisked at his brother. "You shouldn't use such words in front of a minor!" the younger Wolfwood taunted with a sly grin.

Nicholas gave him the finger before turning around and heading into the kitchen. Meryl shook her head and followed him, while David did his own thing, running up to his room to do whatever. Probably to plot something against his brother again. Kids, gotta love 'em.

"So, Nick, how do you expect to make an exact copy of your mother's _irreplaceable _vase?" Meryl asked once they were in the kitchen. Nicholas was, by now, making himself a sandwich.

Nicholas heaved a sigh, turning slightly to his cousin as he opened the refrigerator door and grabbed the ingredients he needed to make his tasty ham and baloney sandwich. "Meryl, I told you to call me Wolfwood."

The short girl rolled her eyes. "Why do you insist on being called by your last name?

Nicholas grinned. "Because it makes me feel important."

Meryl face faltered. "Right..."

"Anyway, the guy's name is Jonathan Baker. He can create just about anything. The kid is pure genius." He pulled the bread out of the bread box and placed it on the countertop in the center of the kitchen. "He lives on 27 N. July Avenue, three blocks down the street. All you have to do is describe the artifact to him and presto! You'll have an exact duplicate. The kid's that good!" Once he was finished making his sandwich, he took a large bite from it. "Hmm...This is one hell of a ham and baloney sandwich!"

Meryl rolled her eyes. "So, how much does he charge?"

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders. "Depends on the project, I guess. The minimum bein' 'bout three hundred dollars." He took another bite from his lunch.

"The _minimum_ being _three hundred dollars_?!"

Nicholas nodded. "Yeah. Think about it though, the vase cost two thousand dollars. You'll be getting this one for less than half the price. That's like you're savin' 70 percent or something." He finished off his sandwich and licked his figures.

"Nicholas--" Meryl started.

"Wolfwood." He corrected her.

Meryl clenched her teeth. "**_Wolfwood_**...where am I going to get three hundred dollars?!"

"Beats the hell outta me!" And so, he left as quickly as he could.

"Oh, no you don't!" She hurriedly caught up to her retreating cousin and grabbed his shirt collar. "**_You_** are going to pay for it.!" She brought him down to her eye level.

Nicholas chuckled nervously. For a short girl, she sure was strong. "Yo, Mer', calm down...I was jokin'! Jokin', cuz! No need to get all physical on me!"

Meryl narrowed her eyes and released her cousin. Nicholas stumbled away, dusting himself off. She looked at her watch. "We have exactly 34 hours and 40 minutes before Aunt Janet and Uncle Demetrius return."

Nicholas puffed. "We have plenty of time, cuz! Why don't I give old John a call to tell him we'll be there tomorrow, okay?"

Meryl crossed her arms. "Okay...but as I said before, _you_ are paying."

"You ain't right, lil' cuz," he said dejectedly as he made his way to the phone. He picked it up and quickly dialed a number that, unsurprisingly, he seemed to know by heart.

After a few rings, someone answered. "_Baker's resident, Jonathan Baker speakin'_."

"Yo, John, what's up?"

The person on the other end of the phone sighed with what could only be described as annoyance. "_What do you want now, Wolfwood? And I told you, do not call me John._"

"Don't be so touchy, John. Anyway, I have a favor to ask you." He pulled up a chair and sat down.

"_What is it this time? Do you need me to replace your dad's classical chessboard again? Or is it the wine cellar this time? Or maybe one of your mother's glass porcelain dolls? I know you'll always screw everything up, Wolfwood,_" Jonathan said on the other end, quite sarcastically.

Nicholas chuckled. "You got jokes, Johnny."

"_What can I say? I know you. I know for a fact that you're messing with something every frickin' week. You're a mass of chaos and destruction, just like that Stampede kid. I'm still quite surprised that your parents haven't disowned you yet._"

"I love you, too, Johnny." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I need you to duplicate something for me...you see, my brother..."

"And you," Meryl said, leaning up against the counter.

"My _brother_ broke mom's finest vase, and, well, I need a replacement. I'll send my cousin down, alright?"

Meryl glared at him. "If you've forgotten, Nicholas--"

Nicholas cut her off by raising a hand to hush her as he walked into the other room leaving Meryl. "_Since when did you have a cousin?_"

"I always had a cousin, and she's a real babe, too. Maybe I can hook you two up, _if_ you do this project for me for free. How about it, buddy?"

There was silence on the other end, then, "_No can do, **buddy**. I got a reputation to uphold. If I start doing work for you for free, then everyone would want me to work for them for free. That's not happening."_

"Oh, really? She's a real beauty. Big boobs and everything."

Another slight pause. "_Alright_, _you got yourself a deal!_"

"Great! Thanks again, friend. We'll be there, say, tomorrow around two?"

"_Two it is, bye_!" The line went dead.

Nicholas returned to the kitchen where Meryl was with a large grin on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him. "So, what'd he say?"

"He said he'll do it for free, but for a price!"

Meryl face faltered again. "Nicholas, how can it be free **_and_ **for a price? Have you lost it?"

Nicholas shook his head. "It's a not a _cash_ price. See, I promised him a date with you."

Meryl glared at him. "And he agreed?!"

"I also told him that you had big boobs."

"You LIED to him?!" She continued to glare as she crossed her arms.

"Hey, suck it up and take it--"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." And so Meryl Stryfe stormed out of the kitchen to her room.

"Hey! Just stick toilet paper down your shirt!" The door slamming was his only answer. Nicholas stared up the stairs in confusion. "Was it something I said?" (And I thought Vash was the clueless one, heh.)

--------------------

_The Next Day  
__Location: Jonathan Baker's home  
__1:58 PM_

Nicholas and Meryl stood in front of the door of a fairly large house. "Well, this is the place, cuz."

Meryl narrowed her eyes. "I still refuse to go out with this boy."

"Oh, come on Mer'! Just think of it like this: you're giving to the needy!"

"How am I giving to the needy?"

"Cuz, this boy is _very_ needy," Nicholas said before knocking on the door.

After a few minutes, the door opened to reveal a tall, lanky boy, about Nicholas height, with a dark tan, black hair, large glasses, and freckles dotting his face. "Wolfwood, glad you could make it. Is this your cousin?" he asked as he looked her up and down.

Meryl glared at him, taking a step back to stand behind Nicholas. "Yep. So, about that deal?"

"Ah, yeah. Right this way." He walked through the living room, leaving the front door open so the two could follow in.

"Ladies first," Nicholas offered, and Meryl walked past him, making sure to stamp on his foot. He clenched his teeth and tightly shut his eyes to keep from crying out in pain as Meryl dug her heel into his foot.

Meryl smirked as she made her way into the room. Nicholas followed behind, limping and cursing all the way.

Jonathan took a seat at a large flat-screen computer monitor. He turned his full attention to his two guests. "So, what did this vase look like?"

Nicholas pulled out a cig. "It was about 5 inches, all white with two large colorful parrots on it sitting on tree branches. Think you can do that?" He lit the cigarette and puffed a few times, inhaling the nicotine-filled stick.

Jonathan grinned as he started typing on his computer. "No problem, Wolfwood. I just got the new CADD machine installed yesterday. Shouldn't take any time at all."

"Good, good. Sit back, cuz, and watch the man work his magic." Nicholas plopped himself down on a recliner as Meryl fell back onto the couch, waiting impatiently for this nightmare to be over.

_Two hours later_

"Voila! I'm done!" Jonathan exclaimed with enthusiasm as he jumping from his seat with the new vase in his hands.

Nicholas and Meryl, who had fallen asleep during the two hours, jumped awake at the other boy's exclamation.

Nicholas rubbed his eyes. "You finished it?"

Jonathan grinned in triumph. "Yep."

"It's about time," Meryl said, bored and tired of being in this house.

Jonathan held up the vase, still grinning at his victory. The other two just stared. "Great, isn't it?"

Nicholas slapped his forehead. "I never said that the damn thing was BLUE! That looks nothing like my mother's vase! And are those...raccoons?!" Nicholas fell right back into the seat. "I specifically said **_parrots_**!!

"Nicholas, I thought you said he was the best!" Meryl growled at her cousin.

Jonathan blinked as he took in the vase. "Oops, a slight...misconception."

"Slight?!" both Nicholas and Meryl exclaimed.

"Look, you better get this right, Jonathan. I ain't got all day." Nicholas crossed his arms as Jonathan sighed and took a seat back in his wheelie-office-chair-thingy.

"'Ain't' is not a word in the dictionary, Wolfwood."

"Wanna bet?" Nicholas pulled out a dictionary from a conveniently-set plothole (wow, how..._convenient_). He opened it up and started looking up the word. "Ah-ha! See, right here; Ain't: A contraction for 'are not' and 'am not'; also used for 'is not'."

"Your point? 'Ain't' is not proper English. If you want to make it in this world, you must use proper English!" Jonathan contradicted as he started to type on his computer.

"What are you? My English teacher? Please, you hardly look like him. I will speak as I like, and you _ain't_ gonna stop me!"

"Please, do not misuse the term 'ain't'." Tap-tap-tap.

"Ain't, ain't, _ain't_!"

"Stop that!" Tip-tap-tap.

"What'cha gonna do, _buddy_? You _AIN'T_ gonna do anything!"

Meryl sighed, banging her head softly on the table. "Nicholas, please, drop it!"

Nicholas turned to her. "I _ain't_ gonna drop it until English fool over here gets the vase done RIGHT!"

"I would get it right if you would just be quiet! You are an annoyance to my concentration."

Meryl gave Nicholas the _Heero Yuy Death Glare ™_ (which could scare ANYONE!) before he could respond, shutting him up quickly. Nicholas glared at Jonathan before crossing his arms and slouching down on the chair.

_Two More Hours Later_

"Alright, _NOW _I am done," Jonathan finally declared after another long two hours.

Nicholas yawned as he stretched and stood up. "It's about time. You'd have better have it right this time."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, don't worry. It's perfect." He held up the new vase and Nicholas grinned with a loose cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Great! It looks just like the old one! What do you think, cuz?" He turned to Meryl, who was still stayed seated on the couch.

Meryl looked up at the new vase and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it could pass as the real thing..."

"Of course it will! It looks like an exact duplicate! Thanks, John!" Nicholas grabbed the vase and started to head out the door with Meryl in tow.

"Ahem." The two retreating teens cringed as Jonathan cleared his throat. "My...payment?" he reminded them, smirking.

Nicholas turned around, chuckling nervously as he placed a hand behind his head. "Ehehe...well, Meryl, you heard the guy! Give him his..._payment_! Bye now!" And so, Nicholas D. Wolfwood was out the door faster than you could say 'I'm gonna kill him'.

"I'm gonna kill him! Nicholas! You can't leave me like this!" Meryl shouted after him, ready to dash through the still-open door.

Jonathan Baker placed one arm limply around her shoulders. "Don't feel bad, babe. Wolfwood promised me a date with you..." He smirked as his breath tickled her ear.

Meryl shuddered. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, _sir_. But I, uh, have things to do!"

Jonathan Baker pulled her closer to him. "Of course you do...with me!"

Meryl started to fume inside. "Listen...I, uh...have to go...**_now_**!" And thus, Meryl Stryfe, cousin of Nicholas D. Wolfwood, slipped from Jonathan's grasp and ran out the door, making sure to shut it behind her.

Jonathan was left alone, standing in his living room with a frown upon his face. "Man, that's always happening to me. Oh well, at least I have my blow-dolls." With that final thought in mind, he went straight to his room to...do stuff...

Sitting on the now forgotten computer was a black cat. On the computer screen was a website for...kitty-porn. O.o "Nyao," the cat said with a grin.

--------------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: Vash glared into the eyes of his competitor, a wild fire blazing inside. His hands went into his pocket, pulling out a pair of his infamous yellow-tinted sunglasses and placing them on his face.

Meryl blinked. "Where did he get the sunglasses?"

"Beats me," Nicholas said, shrugging.

His opponent, Legato Bluesummers, stared into Vash's aqua-blue eyes. No emotion was displayed on either party. Legato glanced down and smirked as he said, "You cannot win, Vash the Stampede."

Next Episode: **Past Forgotten**

--------------------

Yeah, I know, I hardly have any romance between anyone. But hey, the good stuff comes later! **/winks/**

Thanks for reviewing! Review more! More!! /**insert insane psycho laughter/**

_**SapphireWhiteTigress**_


	5. Past Forgotten

****

**Chapter V: Past Forgotten**

_Location: Kuroneko High  
__8:20 PM, Monday_

With the weekend over and done with, the children of KHS must now report to school. The weekend was fun for some...except for one Meryl Stryfe (does she have a middle name?). It wasn't as bad as some, but worst than most. Her Aunt Janet did, in fact, find out about the broken vase, which resulted in 'no roughhousing IN the house', and limited Nicholas privileges, such as no after school activities, no hanging out at the arcade, and babysitting David when their parents were out. Her Aunt Janet made sure that they were out _often_. Oh, the most cruel punishment in the book.

David, of course, played the 'innocent kid' act, which only got him no dessert after dinner. Man, was Nicholas steamed after that...

And for herself, they gave her a second chance since she was Aunt Janet's favorite (and only) niece, _and_ she had just moved in...so, she got off pretty good.

As of now, she was walking down the hall towards her first period class. So lost in her thoughts was she, she didn't notice a person standing in front of her, and so smacked right into that person, knocking the both of them off their feet. Her books and papers went flying about in all directions.

She closed her eyes to brace herself for the fall, and the pain that was sure to come. After a moment, she realized she felt no pain; in fact, she hadn't fallen at all. Opening her eyes, she stared into the bright blue orbs of the teenaged boy who had caught her around the waist.

He blinked. "Are you...okay?"

She blushed. "Um, yeah...I'm fine. Thank you..." He released her and she stumbled back a bit, reclaiming her balance. She kneeled down to pick up her fallen belongings, quite embarrassed at running into someone.

The guy knelt down to offer his help. "Would you like some assistance?"

Meryl shook her head. "No, it's fine, but thank you, um...?"

"Legato, Legato Bluesummers." He answered with a bow of his head, then finished helping her gather her belongings.

"Legato? That name sounds familiar..." she murmured, getting up with the help of this nice young man. She paused in thought before saying, "Oh, now I know...you're Vash's brother's friend, right?"

Legato nodded. "I am. Would you like me to walk you to--" He was cut off as a voice shouted at the two.

"Meryl! Hey! Meryl!" It was Vash's voice that called out to them.

Legato frowned as he turned around to see not only Vash, but also Nicholas, Millie, and Knives trailing behind.

Meryl turned around and smiled at the small gang. "Hi, everyone."

"Meryl! I missed you so! This weekend was the most dreadful! Please, Meryl, don't ever leave me again!" Vash cried as he clung to Meryl for dear life.

The poor girl only blinked in confusion. _'Did I...miss something...?'_

Nicholas smacked the boy upside his head. "Dude, chill out."

Legato's eyes moved from the boy whose arms were wrapped around the short girl, to the short girl who was staring in confusion. "Are you two...dating?"

"NO!"

"YES!"

Legato stepped back as he got three 'no's and two 'yes's. "Huh?" He turned to Knives. "Master Knives?"

Knives crossed his arms. "My reason is pretty obvious. My brother can do much better than that female."

Meryl glared at him, but most of her attention was on trying to pry Vash off of her.

Millie giggled. "I think they make a cute couple!"

Nicholas growled, "My cousin is not allowed to date!" (And yet, he was the one that left poor Meryl with...that boy...)

Vash whined. "But we are in loooooove!"

Meryl was ready to blow a gasket. "I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU!!"

"Wanna get to know me? I'm very lovable and irresistible once you do!" Vash said, finally releasing her.

Legato nodded in thought. "Meryl? Is it alright if I ask you to accompany me to a dinner date this Friday?"

Everyone turned to Legato in either shock or amusement.

'_Wow, he really has some manners...'_ Meryl thought. Aloud, she stammered, "Um...well..."

Vash glared at Legato as electricity shot through them and took Meryl's hands into his. "Meryl, if it's not too much to ask, how about accompanying _me_ to dinner this Friday?"

"Uh..." She was speechless.

Dominique, who was just passing on by, happened to hear the whole thing. "Aw, I wish guys would fight over me like that." .

Knives looked upon the scene with disgust. "I find this whole scenario repulsive. I'm ashamed of you, Legato."

Legato frowned at his master. "I'm sorry, Master. But I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to take out this lovely creature."

Vash shook his head. "Knives, you're my brother! Meryl should go out with me!"

Knives put a hand under his chin. "Hmm...well, this is interesting. My brother and my best friend, decisions, decisions...ah! I have the perfect idea. How about we settle this with a...duel?"

"Oh! What a wonderful idea, Mr. Knives!" Millie clasped her hands together as she jumped up and down.

"Millie, honey, calm down," Nicholas said, grabbing a hold of Millie's shoulder.

"Children, get to your classrooms!" Principal BDN bellowed as he marched down the hall.

Knives grinned. "After school...is when the battle begins..." And so, they all went their separate ways.

--------------------

_After School  
__Location: Kuroneko High Parking Lot  
__4:25 PM_

Everybody who was anybody was out in the parking lot that afternoon. Every last one of these kids was waiting for the fight to begin. Meryl sighed, Millie cheered (for both sides, she couldn't choose), Nicholas went for his cigarettes, Knives was selling tickets for ten dollars each (people actually bought some), and the Gung-Ho-Guns were cheerleaders, rooting for Legato.

"Go Legato! Go Legato! GO, GO, GOOOO!" the GHG cheered, kicking their legs up and down with their colorful pom poms swinging all over the place.

Now to our contestants...

Vash glared into the eyes of his competitor, a wild fire blazing inside. His hands went into his pocket, pulling out a pair of his infamous yellow-tinted sunglasses and placing them on his face.

Meryl blinked. "Where did he get the sunglasses?"

"Beats me," Nicholas said, shrugging.

His opponent, Legato Bluesummers, stared into Vash's aqua-blue eyes. No emotion was displayed on either party. Legato glanced down and smirked as he said, "You cannot win, Vash the Stampede."

Vash grinned as he narrowed his eyes. "Oh, on the contrary, I already have."

"Ah! Beat this, I summon fourth Red Eyes Black Dragon©!" Legato yelled as he placed the card on the mat.

The tall blond continued to grin. "I hate to break this to you, Le', but your Red Eyes Black Dragon is no match for my Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon©!" With three BEWD, Vash has created the ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon©. What will become of our Legato? Stay tuned for the next episode of...VASH-GI-OH!

Nicholas frowned. "Who invited the announcer?"

"Oh, Nicky, dear, didn't you know? They invite themselves!" Millie said with a smile as she continued to watch the duel between Vash and Legato for the heart of our very own Meryl Stryfe. What will she do? Who will she choose? And who are you? Where am I? _What_ am I?

Millie giggled. "I think the announcer is broken again."

Nicholas rolled his eyes. "Ya think?"

"Will you please be quiet?! We are trying to concentrate!" yelled both Vash and Legato in perfect harmony.

Knives growled. "Someone, please, shoot the narrator."

Meryl sighed in annoyance. "I can't stand this, I'm leaving." She turned around and started walking through the crowd.

Both guys stopped what they were doing and hurried after Meryl, giving each other death glares. "Meryl!"

Meryl stopped in irritation and turned on the boys. "What is it now?"

Before either could speak, Knives yelled out, "Are you two gonna finish the duel or what?!"

Neither one of them answered, keeping their attention on the frustrated Meryl. Meryl shook her head. "What do you think you're going to achieve from battling each other?" she asked, irritation plain in her voice.

Vash and Legato glanced at each other before returning to her. "A date with you?" they both said simultaneously.

Meryl's left eye started to twitch as her face turned a slight shade of red.

Nicholas ducked for cover. "Man, I know that look. My mother gets it all the time when David or I screw up..."

Millie giggled. "Nicky, you're so silly!"

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you...you better find shelter soon, honey..." Nicholas said from his hiding spot behind a trashcan.

Meryl tried to calm herself down, but to no avail. She blew it. "I AM NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON! I AM A HUMAN BEING! I DESERVE SOME DECENCY AND RESPECT!" she yelled at full blast, her head becoming twice as large and blowing everyone away, including a familiar, randomly-appearing black feline.

"Nyaooooo!" the cat went as it flew into the distance.

Once the storm known as Meryl Stryfe settled down, everyone was in disarray. Their hair was standing on end, their clothes were practically blown off, and their eyes were as large as saucers.

Meryl stormed off back home, muttering and cursing to herself. Everyone continued to stare as the young girl disappeared from sight.

Vash blinked. "So, does that mean no date?"

Everyone groaned and threw whatever they could at Vash.

--------------------

Meryl glared in front of her, just walking with no particular destination set, fuming inside. _'How dare they do that? Fight over me like I'm some sort of prize...Ugh! Men! That's all they think about, always competing with one another, always trying to be the dominant one, always thinking that they can do whatever they want **when** they want! It isn't fair...'_ By the end of her mental outburst, tears were cascading down her face in a gentle stream.

She glanced up at the sky, still lost in her thoughts. _'Why did you have to leave me, mom? I needed you...and I still do...I wish you were still here with me. Why?'_

"Why?" she repeated in a whisper, casting her head downwards. She paused in her steps, wiping away any trace of tears. She took a deep, steady breath and glanced up, finding herself in the middle of a park. Her mother always took her to a park like this when she was younger where they played until sundown.

Meryl smiled tearfully. "I remember mom..." she said softly as she sat down on a swing, her past fluttering to her like a beautiful butterfly...

--------------------

_It was one of the most beautiful days of the year. The sky was the bluest it could be, and the birds flew overhead, singing their lovely song. The wind gently blew through the lush trees in a nearby park as children played and ran around, thoroughly enjoying the day._

_One five-year-old girl in particular giggled in excitement as her mother gently pushed her on the swings. "Higher mama, higher!" she yelled in excitement as her mother gave the swing a good push. She squealed happily as the swing went a little higher, but not high enough to throw her off. "Mama, watch me jump!" she yelled, ready to jump from the swing._

_Her mother gasped in surprise as the girl leapt from the swing. "Meryl, no!" she cried in vain, but the young girl landed on the ground, swiftly and skillfully. Her mother grasped at her heart, taking a deep breath._

_The girl turned to her mother. "Mama, you saw that? I jumped! I jumped!" She hopped over to her mother, giggling a bit._

_Her mother grabbed her in a tight hug. "Don't you do that again, Meryl! You almost gave me a heart attack!!" she said, trying to calm her racing heart._

_The young Meryl looked shamefully down at the ground. "I'm sorry, mama..." she said, tears threatening to fall from their place behind her bluish-gray orbs._

_Her mother only smiled softly. "It's alright, sweetheart. How about we go see your cousin Nick?"_

_The girl's bright smile returned to her face. "Yay!" She ran off to their parked car, waiting for her mother._

--------------------

Meryl choked on a sob as the next memory came back to her, not as cheerful as the first...

--------------------

_This memory was set on a much gloomier night, as a now seven-year-old Meryl sat in the back seat of an old car, sleeping soundlessly. Her mother smiled from her place at the wheel as she glanced at her sleeping daughter in the small rearview mirror._

_Rain poured mercilessly upon her window-shield as she turned on her wipers. Waves washed over the car as Meryl's mother drove cautiously through. She never did like driving in such weather. Suddenly headlights blinked at her as a speeding car, not even a yard away, came roaring down the wrong side of the road. The driver of the other car was obviously a drunken man; he roared with laughter, holding a bottle of some strange brown substance. Other equally drunken people were hanging from the window, yelling, cheering, and laughing._

_The light from the other car blinded the old Ford Focus driver as she swiveled away, but it wasn't fast enough..._

_Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the car careening off-course, the lightning flashing above them, the noticeably loud sound of the rain pit- patting against the icy steel of the car..._

_The scene instantly changes to hours later, as red and blue lights flash around the overturned car...voices whispering..._

'_She's lucky to even be alive...it was a miracle...'_

'_And her mother...?'_

'_She...wasn't as lucky...'_

'_You mean...?'_

'_Yes...she's...dead...'_

--------------------

"Meryl...? Are you okay?"

Her mental turmoil was cut short as a familiar voice broke into her thoughts. She moved her eyes up to stare into the beautiful aqua orbs of Vash Saverem.

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

Meryl blinked, clearing her eyes. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine..."

"You sure? You looked like you were crying..." he said, noticing the traces of tears on her beautiful, pale face.

Meryl quickly tried to cover it up. "I wasn't crying! It's, uh, allergies!"

Vash wasn't convinced, but decided not to press on the matter. "Well, if you say so..." He sat down in the swing next to hers, pushing himself back and fourth with his long legs. "But anyway, I, uh...wanted to say I'm sorry about earlier...you know, with that duel battle against Legato..."

Meryl smiled. "It's fine..."

Vash looked up into her smiling face, instantly getting lost in her wonderful grayish-violet eyes. "Really...?" His heart rate accelerated, his palms started to sweat, and all he could see were her eyes. Her beautiful, almost hypnotic, eyes. All he wanted to do right then and there was kiss her. To feel those soft lips against his own would be like pure heaven. He knew it would be risky to do so right now. She would never talk to him again...but the temptation! It was so difficult to keep control.

Meryl raised an eyebrow. "Vash?"

Vash blinked and squeaked, "Ye-yeah?"

"You look a little pale...are _you_ alright?" she asked in concern.

Vash stumbled back and fell from his swing. "Uh, I'm-I'm fine! I gotta go!" _'And take a long cold shower,'_ he finished to himself, taking off towards home.

Meryl blinked after him. "He is one strange guy." She shook her head. She glanced in the direction Vash had run off to and softly smiled. _' But it's strange, when I'm with him...I feel...safe,'_ she thought, beginning the long walk home.

--------------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: They arrived to Vash's room and slowly peered in. The room was dark. "It's so dark. I can't see anything!" David cried out.

Katherine rolled her eyes as she turned the light on.

The little boy sighed in relief. "Much better."

"I can't believe you are still afraid of the dark!"

"Hey, I'm only seven!"

Next Episodes: **Snoopers**

--------------------

Man, that trip down memory lane almost made ME cry! Anyway, please, review! The more reviews, the sooner the chapter will be posted!

Unfortunately, I'm outta ideas for rhymes.

Also, more Vash/Meryl will come soon! You remember the saying, "Good things come to those who wait", right?

And, finally, I like being weird, it goes with the personality.

_**SapphireWhiteTigress**_


	6. Snoopers

**Chapter VI: Snoopers**

_Two Days Later  
__Location: Wolfwood Residence  
__3:37 AM_

_RING! RING!_

_RING! RING!_

_RING! RING!_

"Ugh..." Meryl groaned tiredly as she glanced over at her blinking digital clock. "Who could be calling at three in the morning...?" she wondered out loud. "And why did I get a phone in my room...?" She yawned as she picked up the phone and, but before she could curse out whoever it was that dared to disturb her slumber, someone else was already on it.

Now, mind you that eavesdropping wasn't her style, but curiosity got the best of her as she heard Nicholas' voice.

"_Yea-lo?"_

"_Hey, Wolfwood. It's me, Jack."_

There was a slight pause on the phone before Nicholas replied. _"Jack who...?"_

"_Jack Smith, man!"_

"_Oh...what do you want? You do know it's almost four in the morning, right?"_

"_Yeah, I know, but this couldn't wait! I just got this great deal for a racing team and I want you and Vash to be a part of it,"_ Jack explained.

Meryl raised an eyebrow. _'A racing team? Nicholas and Vash?'_

"_What makes you think that we would be interested in being a part of your team?"_

"_Because, man, you and Vash are the best damn racers I know of! You gotta do this for me, I'm...I mean, WE are going to be making mad money off of this deal!"_

Meryl rolled her eyes as she imagined Nicholas' eyes turning into dollar signs.

"_Hmm...I'm gonna have to discuss this over with Vash."_

"_Man, what is there to discuss? All you gonna be doing is racing and winning."_

"_No duh, Sherlock, but my parents would kill me if they found out I was involved in racing tournaments."_

"_Then don't tell them! C'MON, Wolfwood, this is a great opportunity for you!"_

Nicholas growled. _"Fine, I'll do it, but I'm getting half the profits, got it?"_

"_Yeah, yeah. Meet me at the old abandoned stadium later today at 5 o'clock, and don't forget to bring Vash. I'll see you there."_

Click.

"_Whatever..."_

Click.

Meryl rolled her eyes and placed the phone gently down before turning over in bed. She knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, so she decided to get a snack. She'd be getting up in a few hours for school, anyway.

She got up from the bed and threw on her robe, which was resting on the back of a chair. She reached for the handle of her door and slowly turned it, not wanting to wake anybody up. Cautiously, she made her way down the stairs, being as quiet as she could. Once at the bottom of the stairs, she turned left in the direction of the kitchen, then froze as she saw a figure in front of the refrigerator.

She caught her breath and released it once she realized it was only Nicholas, searching the fridge while only clad in a pair of blue silken boxers. He turned to her with a grin. "Hey, short stuff. You're up early." He got what he wanted and stepped away from the refrigerator, shutting the door, thus cutting off the light supply. "Could you flick the switch?"

Meryl yawned and turned the light on. Bright light fluttered into the room, temporarily blinding the two. After a few moments, Meryl took a seat across from Nicholas, stealing a pickle from him. "So, what is this I hear about a racing team?"

Nicholas chuckled. "You know, it's not polite to eavesdrop."

Meryl shrugged. "I couldn't help myself. The phone was what woke me up." She stole another pickle and threw it into her mouth.

Nicholas frowned, moving the pickle jar away from her. "Sorry about that, some people can be so inconsiderate of others."

"No kiddin'." She narrowed her eyes before snatching the pickle jar back and taking a few more slices of the sour, juicy pickles.

"Mer', lay off the pickles," he said, reaching out for the jar.

The shorter girl glared at him, and he could have sworn that her eyes turned red. Nicholas nervously grinned and took a step back. "Hehe, what was I thinkin'? Keep the pickles, Mer'."

Meryl smiled sweetly and happily munched on her lovely pickles. Nicholas growled a few choice words and left to go to his room with his pickle-less sandwich.

"Night, Nick!" she called after his retreating form. Her only response was a grumble.

--------------------

_Elsewhere  
__4:00 AM_

"You sure that was a good idea, man?" a voice whispered as two figures gathered together in a warehouse.

"I am sure, that I am," the other voice replied.

"Man, do you need to speak like that? You aren't Kenshin."

"Shut up, that you will," the second voice growled in annoyance. (Obviously, he has watched too many episodes of "Kenshin", oh, and FYI, I have never ever seen any episodes of "Kenshin", not even a small clipping! Poor me.)

"Whatever...back to our original topic, I don't think signing up both Wolfwood and that Stampede boy was a good idea."

"Why do you think it is not a good idea?"

"'Cause, you have no idea how these kids drive! And another thing, they are underage!"

"You will not question me! I know what I am doing, that I do."

"Man, this conversation is pointless...why are we here, anywhere?"

"....I do not know..."

"...Okay..."

"...."

"...."

"....."

"Pie?"

"Pie." (It would be wise NOT to ask. Heh.)

--------------------

_Old Gunsmoke Geraniums Stadium  
__5:00 PM_

The three teenagers stood in front of the tall, looming stadium. The stadium itself was surrounded by long roads circling around the massive building. The whole place was at least (insert insanely large number of square feet). A few racing cars were already circling around the track.

"So, this is the place?" Meryl asked, in awe at how large the stadium actually was.

Nicholas grinned. "Yep. Man, too bad the Geraniums left town. They were a good football team."

Vash, who was standing next to Wolfwood, raised an eyebrow. "A good football team? They lost at least 52 games...and won...one, and that was only because Sam 'accidentally' ran into Jet, who had the ball, causing it to fly from his hand and into Mike's, allowing him to score a touchdown exactly 1.5 seconds before the game was over, thus allowing them to win the game."

The two cousins stared at Vash in complete shock.

Vash laughed nervously as he placed a hand behind his neck. "What?"

Meryl and Nicholas shook their heads before slowly walking to the entrance of the racing track. There, they were greeted by a young man with black hair dressed in a white sleeveless shirt, showing off his nicely toned muscles, and a pair of blue jean shorts.

"Hey, Wolfwood, hey, Vash," he said with a grin. "Took you all long enough." That was when he noticed Meryl. "And who might this lovely lady be?"

Nicholas rolled his eyes. "She's my cousin, and if you know what's good for you, you'll leave her alone."

Vash nodded his head in agreement, narrowing his eyes at the man.

Nicholas introduced them. "Meryl, this is Jack. The inconsiderate SOB."

Jack held out his hand to her and she reluctantly took it. Jack smiled at her, pulling her hand closer to his face and placing a soft kiss upon her smooth skin. "It's a pleasure, Meryl."

When he released her hand, Meryl quickly wiped it on her pants.

Jack turned around. "Follow me. You two need to sign a few forms before we can continue."

The four of them then headed into the Stadium to take care of business.

-----------------

_Elsewhere_

The two children lounged around the house, bored out of their little minds.

"I'm bored outta my mind," David complained as he flicked through the channels for the hundredth time that evening.

"Me too," Katherine agreed. Then an idea hit her. "Hey, how about we snoop around in Vash's room? He has a lot of secrets in his diary!"

David looked up at her. "Vash has a diary? But diaries are for girls!"

"Guys can have diaries, too!"

David shook his head. "Nuh-uh. Journals are _guys'_ private books. _Girls_ have diaries!"

Katherine glared at him. "Girls have journals, too! Now are we gonna snoop around or not?"

"I'm in." The two sneaky kids quietly got up from their seats and made their way to the stairs.

"Oh, Katherine, there you are!" Rem exclaimed as she saw Katherine making her way up the stairs.

Katherine cringed as she slowly turned around. "Yes, mother?"

"Have you seen your brothers?"

Katherine blinked. "Uh, no...Vash is out with Nicholas, and Knives is...doing stuff....someplace..."

"Oh, okay. Well, you kids have fun. I have to run to the store." Rem grabbed her purse and walked out of the house. "Oh, and Mrs. Kurama (uh, no relation?) will be here to watch you!"

Katherine frowned. "But, mom! Mrs. Kurama is...old! And...scary! And I'm ten! I can watch myself!"

Rem smiled as she placed a kiss on her daughter's head. "Be good!" she said before leaving the kids.

David shuddered. "Parents are scary."

Katherine nodded. "You should see my mom when she gets up in the morning. You'll have nightmares for weeks."

David giggled. "Uh-huh! When Nick gets up, he looks like the Swamp Thing!"

"I thought you hated horror movies."

"Swamp Thing isn't horror! It's sci-fi!"

"Whatever, let's go."

They arrived at Vash's room and slowly peered in. The room was dark. "It's so dark. I can't see anything!" David cried out.

Katherine rolled her eyes as she turned the light on.

The little boy sighed in relief. "Much better."

"I can't believe that you are still afraid of the dark!"

"Hey, I'm only seven!"

"Whatever..."

They searched around the room. The room was pretty much bare except for Vash's bed by the window, lamps on his nightstand, and a computer desk with a flat-screen computer hooked up to a three-in-one printer/scanner/copier. He had a small TV set across from his bed, and hooked to the TV was his PS2 and GameCube. Under the TV stand were his games. But who would've thought that Vash's room was so...clean?

David quickly made a dash for the games. "Cool! Your brother has Kingdom Hearts 2! Oh! And Mortal Kombat Deception! Sweet, he also has all the Pokemon games! I love your brother!" He paused as he looked at one game and screamed. "AHHH! He has the Freddy vs. Jason game!! AHHH!! I hate your brother!" The poor terrified boy quickly hid under the bed.

"David, stop being such a cry baby." Katherine rolled her eyes as she continued to search her unsuspecting brother's room.

David frowned at his friend before spotting a blue book under the bed. "Maybe this is it," he said as he grabbed the book and crawled out from under the bed. "Hey, Kat, I think I found it."

Katherine glanced over her shoulder to see David opening a blue book. "Hey, let me see that!" she said, snatching the book out of his hand.

David pouted. "But I found it!" He took it back.

Katherine growled. "Stop it! He's my brother!"

"So? I found the book!"

"I wanna read it first!"

"Me first!"

"Whatever happened to _ladies_ first?"

"You aren't a lady! You're a girl!"

The two kids glared at each other before they both plopped down on the ground, the book between them. David opened to the first page. "'Do Not Touch'." He turned the page. "'I mean it, stay out!', Your brother's weird."

Katherine nodded. "I know." They turned to the next page. "'Whoever touches this book and reads beyond is forever cursed.' Yeah, right." To the next page. "Ah! Here we go! _Dear Journal_," she started.

"Ha! I told you that guys have journals!" David stuck his tongue out at her.

"Shut up...I'm reading here!" Katherine cleared her throat. "_Today was the first day of school. I was a little excited because this is the last year! Then it's off to college to party! Anyway, today, Wolfwood introduced me to his cousin, Meryl. Wow, Meryl, that's a real pretty name..._" Katherine paused. "Isn't Meryl your cousin?" she asked David.

David nodded. "Uh-huh! Vash likes Meryl?"

They both looked at each other for a moment in silence; then, "EEEWWW!! Cooties!" they both exclaimed, scooting away from each other.

Katherine flipped through the book. "_'Today I had a duel with Legato for a date with Meryl. I can't believe that low-down, dirty...anyway, I really think I'm in love. I've never felt this way in my life. Every time I see her, all I want to do is hold her...'_" Katherine flipped to the next page. "_'When I saw her in the park that day, I didn't know what to do. She looked so sad, I wanted to just go over and comfort her. Just kiss away her tears...'" _Katherine stopped and closed the book. Both children's eyes were as large as could be. Neither said a word for two minutes before Katherine stood up, like a zombie, and placed the book on Vash's bed.

Katherine shook her head to snap herself from her trance and turned to David. "Let's not do that again, okay?"

David nodded. "Okay..."

"How about we snoop around Knives' room? He has explosives."

"Cool!" And so, the two children skipped off to play with Knives' explosives.

--------------------

_Gunsmoke Geraniums Stadium _

Vash stared at the paper in his hand. "So...we have to give you some information?" he asked as he looked up at Jack.

Jack nodded. "Yep, we need some information if you're gonna be racing on our team."

"Well, okay..." Vash took a seat next to Nicholas at a desk and grabbed a black ink pen.

Nicholas read the paper over again. "I don't see why you need this stuff."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Just fill out the form. While you're doin' that, I'm going to show Meryl around the Stadium."

Meryl shuddered. "Uh, it's okay. I don't mind staying here."

"Nonsense, sweet-cakes! This stadium is home to one of the largest race tracks in the whole state!"

Meryl narrowed her eyes. She hated being called 'sweet-cakes' as much as she hated fruitcake.

"Jack, my cousin can stay here. I gotta keep an eye on her anyway," Nicholas said, before Meryl could say anything.

Meryl glared at him. "YOU keep an eye on ME?"

Nicholas shrugged and went back to the paper.

While all this was going on, Vash was busy filling in the needed information.

'_Hmm...name: Vash Saverem, but you can call me Vash the Stampede. Age: 17, DOB: July 7th, 1986...height: Pretty tall...weight: I'm too embarrassed to say. Blood type: Red, duh! Occupation...what's that? Anyway, family: Mom, Knives, and Katherine...'_ The form went like that for the next few questions

Vash grinned as he finished. "Well, that wasn't too hard."

"Those questions were stupid," Nicholas complained.

Jack took the forms from both boys. "Well, that's all for now. I gotta take these to the boss." He left the room, leaving the three alone.

They were quiet for a minute before Vash spoke up. "What now?"

The other two shrugged.

Out on the race track, a race was about to begin. The cars started their engines while waiting for the green light to flash. One of the race cars was too small for any human being. A crazy feline stuck its paw out the window and grinned at the readers. "Nyao!" And the race was off.

--------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: _"I love you," they finished at the same time, both gazing into each others' eyes._

_The distance between them quickly closed as they were caught in a passionate kiss, clinging to each other as if their very life depended on it._

Next Episode: **The Beginning of Tomorrow**

----------------

One million thanks to all who reviewed my story! I really appreciate it! Cookies for everyone! **hands out cookies/** Enjoy.

_**SapphireWhiteTigress**_


	7. The Beginning of Tomorrow

**Chapter VII: The Beginning of Tomorrow **

_Location: Club Faye  
__6:30 PM, Thursday_

Club Faye was the hippest club in town, owned by Faye Valentine herself. Faye Valentine was a woman who, like all others, was just trying to make it in this world. She wasn't always a club owner. In fact, she used to be a bounty hunter (and deeply in debt) with a crew on a certain ship called "The Bebop". That was, until she hit the million dollar jackpot at a casino. With all that money, she left "The Bebop" and opened up her own club, "Club Faye".

The club was quite crowded, packed to the door, even. Many people danced, drank, hit on chicks, even guys. They played card games, slot machines, and whatever else you could possibly think of in a casino. There was even someone on stage playing soft jazz music...

...Wait a minute...

With a closer look, one could easily tell that the person playing the saxophone was none other than Midvalley the Hornfreak. What was he doing here?

Midvalley stood on stage, blowing into the mouthpiece of his beloved Silvia (does that sound wrong to anybody else?) with a passion that I couldn't begin to explain. To him, he was doing something he loved more than anything. To others, he was just a magician providing the feel good music with a talent that was incomparable.

Everyone around him listened intensely, captivated at how magnificent this young man played. It was as if he had become one with his instrument. Maybe he had. It was rare to see this Hornfreak away from his beloved Silvia. After a few more minutes of playing, the song came to an end, and everyone around him erupted into applause.

Midvalley took a bow before heading off stage to the bar area. He was a nice looking young man, around the age of 19, with a charm no woman could resist. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't the time to meet women, since he played at random clubs five hours a day, went to a part-time college, and hung out with his so-called gang leader, Knives. Yes, Midvalley was one of the most feared, more powerful members of the Gung-Ho-Guns, and he is never without his Silvia.

He pulled up a stool and sat down, waving the bartender over. The bartender gave him a once over before rolling his eyes and making his way over to Midvalley. "The drinking age is 21, kid."

The Hornfreak frowned before sighing. "Fine, just give me some water."

The bartender gave him a disapproving look before retreating to get the water for his customer. Midvalley shook his head. _'Wonder what his problem is?'_ He shrugged it off as he waited for his drink.

"Is this seat taken?" a smooth voice asked from beside him.

Midvalley turned in his seat to behold the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his young life. She had the appearance of an angel, with long, flowing, golden-blond hair that shone where the light beamed down on it. Her smile was marvelous. Her eyes were like pools of ocean water, and he found himself drowning in them.

Midvalley finally snapped out of it when he realized that she had asked him something. "Huh? Oh, no."

The girl smiled and sat down on the stool to the left of him before ordering some orange juice. That was when Midvalley noticed his water had returned. He took the cup in his hand and downed it in one gulp.

"My name's Silvia," the angel-like creature next to him said, still smiling.

Midvalley choked on his water. He banged his chest, trying to ease the water down before gasping for air. "Wha--what?"

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?" she asked as she gingerly sipped her orange juice.

"I'm, I'm fine..." he choked out. "What did you say your name was?"

"Silvia. What is yours?"

"I'm, uh...I'm..." he stammered, at a loss for words.

Silvia giggled. "You forgot your own name?"

"I'm sorry, my name is Midvalley the Hornfreak," he replied.

"Midvalley the Hornfreak?" she repeated.

Midvalley nodded. "My real name is embarrassing, so I go by the alias Midvalley the Hornfreak."

The girl nodded. "So, what is your real name?"

"Personal, aren't we?."

"Nothing too personal, I hope."

"It's Alex Boom. " Midvalley said quickly, then sweat-dropped.

Silvia giggled. "That's cute."

The Hornfreak frowned. He wasn't supposed to be cute! He was supposed to be deadly! One of the most feared members in the most feared gang throughout all of Gunsmoke!

"So, you play the Saxophone?" She nodded towards the golden saxophone by his side.

Midvalley glanced down and grabbed his precious instrument. "This is...Silvia."

"Silvia? What a coincidence," she said, admiring his saxophone.

Midvalley nodded. They talked for a few more minutes (or hours) about nothing in particular, and time seemed to fly by fast for the both of them. Suddenly they realized that it was getting late and about time to get going. Midvalley stood up and offered his new friend a hand, which she accepted gratefully.

Midvalley paid the barkeep the money for their drinks and suggested that he walk the young lady home. Of course, she accepted, and then they both were on their way. She lived five blocks from Club Faye, and Midvalley was somewhat relieved. The longer the walk, the more time he had to get to know Silvia.

He tossed his saxophone over his shoulder and fell into step with the golden-blond girl. They were silent for the entire walk, enjoying each other's companionship. Soon, they reached the girl's house.

She stood up on the stoop before turning to Midvalley. "Thank you for a nice night, Midvalley the Hornfreak."

"Will I be able to see you again?" he asked.

Silvia smiled. "I don't know," she said, with sadness in her voice.

Midvalley grabbed a hold of her smaller hands. "Silvia...There's something I must say to you, I can no longer hold it in..."

"Yes?" she inquired, interested in what he had to say.

"Silvia," he started slowly, "I don't know how to say this, but you are like a humanoid version of my saxophone, with the same name. You're just as beautiful, you have a certain shine, and...you're almost exactly alike...but so different in so many ways."

"How are we different?"

Midvalley paused. "Well, you're a human female, and Silvia's a...saxophone."

Silvia sweat-dropped. "That's it...?"

Midvalley thought. "Yes, it is. Silvia...I would very much like it if I could see you again."

Silvia smiled, showing off her pearly whites. "I would like that very much." She took out a piece of paper and a pen from her...pocket. She always kept some handy. O.o She wrote on the paper and handed it to Midvalley before waving goodbye at him and going inside.

Midvalley watched her disappear behind the door and glanced down at the paper. _'Silvia...555-555-5555...'_ He gently folded the paper and put it in his pants pocket.

He lifted his saxophone up and looked at it. "Don't you give me that look..."

"...."

"...Can't I make some friends?"

"...."

Midvalley frowned. "For a saxophone, you sure get jealous a lot."

"..." --

-----------------

_Someplace  
__Around Midnight_

"So, is everything as we planned?"

"Yes sir! The tracks are ready, the cars tuned, racers' information stored. Anything else you want me to do?"

"That is all for now, that it is."

"Not that again!"

"Shut up, that you will!"

"But, boss, that is getting annoying, that it is." A pause. "D'oh! It's contagious!"

"Why do I even bother?"

-----------------

Vash couldn't sleep that night. Try as he might, he just couldn't. He tossed and he turned and he tossed some more, falling off the bed a couple dozen times in the process. The reason behind his anxiousness was Meryl. She was constantly on his mind.

Three days ago, when he and Legato had that stupid duel, Meryl had run off and he had followed her into Augusta Park. She'd looked so troubled, and he had no idea why. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her. He hated to see her cry, though that was the only time he had seen tears in her beautiful eyes, and he never, ever, wanted to see them again, unless they were tears of happiness.

He had never felt this way before in his life, and he didn't know how to deal with it. Sure, Meryl was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen (in his opinion), but beauty wasn't all that. Meryl...she had a great mind and smarts. She wasn't like other girls, and to top it all off, there was something mysterious about her, something that he knew she was hiding. But what could she be hiding? Had something happened to her before she came to Gunsmoke? And what about her family? The only family he knew she had was Nicholas and his folks and little David.

What was it about her that made her so intriguing? So different from other girls? Yep, he was definitely feeling something strong for this Meryl. But he couldn't tell her that...she'd think he was insane and would never talk to him again! He couldn't live with that!

_Dream Sequence_

_Vash and Meryl were standing in front of Kuroneko High. Vash took a deep breath before he spoke. "Meryl, I love you."_

_The girl looked at him like he was crazy, before bursting into laughter. "Haha, you—you WHAT?! HAHA!" She fell on the ground laughing, and soon, everyone else joined in._

_Vash's world started to shatter as the laughter continued and echoed throughout his mind._

_End Dream Sequence_

Vash shuddered at the thought. Meryl wouldn't just laugh at him like that, she wasn't the type. He had to be more logical...

'_Nother Dream Sequence_

"_Meryl, I love you," Vash whispered lightly as he gazed into Meryl's eyes under the starry sky. "I want to be with you forever."_

_Meryl eyes started to tear up as she turned away. "Vash...I...we can't."_

"_Why not, Meryl? I love you."_

_Tears started to roll down her face. "Vash...it wouldn't work out...you and I...it'll never work."_

_Vash placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "Yes it will, if we let it."_

"_Vash, you don't understand! There's no much I don't know about you, and so much you don't know about me!"_

"_Meryl, please...don't you feel something for me?" he asked, hope in his voice and eyes._

_Meryl was silent for a moment. "Vash...I...I don't know what I feel."_

_Vash dropped his arms in disappointment and rejection. "Oh, I understand..."_

_Meryl turned to him, her eyes clearly filled with unshed tears. "Vash, I'm sorry...I..."_

_Vash held up a hand. "Don't speak."_

_End Dream Sequence_

Vash blinked. Well, he supposed it could happen, and it would be easier then her laughing at him. But more depressing and heart-aching...

_Yet ANOTHER Dream Sequence_

"_Meryl..." Vash started, but was interrupted by Meryl._

"_Vash..." Meryl started. _

"_I love you," they finished at the same time, both gazing into each others' eyes._

_The distance between them quickly closed as they were caught in a passionate kiss, clinging to each other as if their very lives depended on it._

_End Dream Sequence_

Vash lay there with a big sappy grin planted on his face. What he would do if that ever happened?! He'd be the luckiest man alive...to share a beautiful, innocent kiss with the woman he loved.

He sighed dreamily as he finally drifted off to sleep, a large grin still on his face as he dreamt about the possible future.

----------------

_Knives' room  
__Around the same time_

The room was dark, very dark, and the only source of light was coming from a small lamp on top of a desk piled with large books. Knives frowned, deep in thought as he looked up information. He needed an answer and he needed one now. The light provided by the lamp glimmered off of his face, giving him a creepy, eerie look. He frantically searched the pages of the books that he had 'borrowed' from the local library.

Lately, he had been having these strange feelings. Not the kind of feelings that Vash was having; oh no, far from it. He had also been picking up on more things, such as people's thoughts and emotions, which was driving him to the edge of insanity... more so then he already was.

Something had to be done. And something would be done. Knives chuckled evilly, but paused when something caught his eye. _'What's this?'_ He scanned the page in hopes that he had finally found what he had been searching for. He grinned as he tore the page from the book before shutting it. He'd take care of business tomorrow, but right then, some sleep was needed. He got into his bed and fell asleep, with a much scarier grin on his face.

On the tear-out piece of paper left on his desk was a picture of two baby boys inside of a tube-looking thing filled with clear liquid, the headline reading: **TWO SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS A SUCCESS**.

-----------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: "Legato," he said to catch the blue-haired boy's attention.

Legato looked up, directly at his master. "Yes, Master Knives?"

Knives took the basketball from Legato's hands and grinned. "How about we challenge Vash to a game of...B-ball?"

Next Episode: **All's Fair in Love and Basketball**

---------------

Next chapter is sure to be good. Oh, and please, no one hate me for Silvia! **/hides/**

Club Faye...who would've seen **_that_** one coming? And, yeah, I gave one of the Gung-Ho-Guns ('sides Le') a purpose! YAY!

And what did you all think of the dream sequences? Personally, I liked the second one best.

Okay, enough of me blabbering. Just review already! Love and Peace!

**_SapphireWhiteTigress_**


	8. All's Fair in Love and Basketball

**Author's Note**: I'm not from the South (East Coast, baby. XP), and the only reason this story is called **_Gunsmoke Alabama_** is because it sounds nice, that and the gang's from Alabama.

----

**Chapter VIII: All's Fair in Love and Basketball**

_Location: Kuroneko High School  
__11:20 AM, Friday  
__Gym Class_

The whole group had gym class together, much to the relief of most of them. Except for Knives, who wasn't happy with anything. Torturing little butterflies and painting kittens was his thing…but don't tell him I told you that.

Anyway, as the students ran around the gym, causing mayhem and destruction, Knives sat alone on top of the bleachers, deep in thought. What he found out last night was something he needed to think long and hard about. Could it be possible..? Him and Vash...? Were they actually--

"Hey, Knives!" Vash shouted, jumping up onto the top bench where his brother set in solitude.

Knives sighed in irritation. "What is it, Vash?"

Vash shrugged. "Nothing really, you just look so lonely up here all by yourself."

Knives rolled his eyes. "Has it ever occurred to you that I would **_like_** to be alone?"

Vash thought for a moment. "Nope, not really. I mean, why would you want to be alone when you can be with your friends? It's gym time, the greatest class ever, next to lunch! Have some fun, bro!"

Knives grumbled and turned from his brother. He was silent for a moment as boredom took over. He glanced up and spotted Legato shooting a few hoops, an idea forming. He got up and made his way down to Legato.

"Legato," he said to catch the blue-haired boy's attention.

Legato looked up directly at his master. "Yes, Master Knives?"

Knives took the basketball from Legato's hands and grinned. "How about we challenge Vash to a game of…B-ball?"

Legato nodded. "Great idea, Master. But I do have one question."

"And that would be?"

"Since when did you learn how to play basketball?"

Knives fell over in disbelief before recomposing himself. His face turned red as he yelled out, "I ALWAYS KNEW HOW TO PLAY!!"

Everyone around them paused in what they were doing to give the two friends their full attention.

Knives chuckled nervously before deciding to put the attention on someone else instead of him. He quickly threw the ball in a random direction, not really caring where it was headed. Everyone watched on as the ball headed straight for…Meryl.

"MERYL!" Vash AND Legato shouted in a panic. (Legato in a panic? Okey dokey!)

Meryl blinked as she looked up and found the ball heading right at her. Her eyes widened and she found herself paralyzed to the spot. She put her hands in front of her face and closed her eyes tightly.

_**SMACK!**_

Everyone gasped as the body crumbled to the ground. Meryl opened her eyes once she realized that the ball never made it to her, and glanced down to see a basketball-head boy lying at her feet.

"Vash!" She knelt down on the ground and pushed the ball off of his face. "Are you okay?"

Vash stared up at her with a dazed look in his eyes. "I twat I taw a purty tat…" and promptly passed out.

"Vash! Vash…" She gently shook him as people gathered around the fallen boy.

Knives innocently walked out of sight with his hands behind his back, whistling an innocent tune. When he was sure no one was looking at him, he ran out the back door.

Vash opened his eyes again and grinned like an idiot. "Are you an angel?"

Meryl blinked as a red blush surrounded her cheeks. "Um…" She shook her head. "Vash, why did you do it? Why did you take that ball for me? You saved me…"

The tall blonde pulled himself up on his elbows as he rubbed his aching head where a large red bump was forming. "Well, I couldn't let you get hit by that ball. You know…I'll take a bullet for you, Meryl."

Meryl blushed again as everyone around them 'awed' and 'ooo'ed'. Just then, the school nurse, Nurse Joy (Coincidence? I think not!), rushed into the room to aid Vash.

"Oh my! Are you alright?" she asked as she, too, knelt down by his side.

Vash nodded as he rubbed the bump on his head. "Yeah, never felt better…"

----------

"Man, Vash sure is lucky," some random boy named Bob said.

"Yeah," his friend, Timothy, agreed. "The nurse is fawning all over him."

"I know," a third boy, David, nodded his head. "And he gets the new girl too." The three sighed in defeat.

Legato glared at them as Vash, along with the nurse and Meryl, left the room. He would not lose to Vash the Stampede. He was Legato Bluesummers, and Legato Bluesummers always got what he wanted. **/Insert insane laughter/**

--------------

Knives grumbled as he made his way home. This wasn't the first time he played hooky, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But he needed some time alone, some time to think things over in his head.

Last night he had made some interesting discoveries. Ones that concerned both himself and his brother. Discoveries that could change their world forever. He started cackling evilly, until he spotted a familiar figure. He arched an eyebrow and made his way over to that figure.

"What are you doing, Hornfreak?" Knives asked with crossed arms.

Midvalley the Hornfreak quickly turned to his master, startled. "Master Knives! I didn't expect to see you!"

Knives rolled his eyes. "You didn't show up at our meeting last night. Why was that?"

Midvalley started to sweat nervously. "I was…I was…at…um…doing a gig!" he said. It was partially true. He was doing a gig…until he met **_her_**. The mere thought of her made his insides turn upside down, make his head swim with love poems. Just being with her made him want to be a better man. Never in his life…

"Hornfreak! Snap out of it! What's with you anyway?!" Knives yelled in annoyance.

The Hornfreak shook his head as Knives came into focus. "Huh?"

Knives stared at him with an incredulous look. "I know that look…" he began, as realization dawned on him.

Midvalley gulped in fear. What would Knives do if he ever guessed it?

Knives was silent for a moment before speaking up once more. "That's the same look Vash has when he thinks of that female…who is she?"

Midvalley quickly looked around for some means of escape, but found none. So he decided to play dumb. "Who?" he asked, trying to act as innocent as possible (which wasn't very convincing).

"Don't play stupid. Who's the wench?"

"She's not a wench!" he yelled out, then quickly covered his mouth. "Oops…"

Knives smirked. "So, you admit that there is someone?"

Midvalley sighed in defeat. "Yes…"

"That's all you needed to say, Midvalley," Knives stated gently.

Midvalley's eyes widened in shock at what he had just heard. It wasn't what Knives said that shocked him so. It was **_how_** he said it. Something was definitely strange here. Ah! It must be the calm before the storm! He shuddered inwardly at the thought of the storm that was sure to come, lightning and thunder included.

But none of that came; instead, Knives smiled. He actually smiled! Yes, this was indeed the…**_Twilight Zone_**. A **_parallel universe_** he must've been sucked into! With a nice…dare I say it…Knives. Had the world gone mad?!

"Master Knives…?" Midvalley hesitantly started. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course I am!" de said, sounding back to normal. Phew. "So, Midvalley…tell me about your…lady friend."

He blinked. Knives wanted to know about her? Well, he guessed it couldn't hurt. "Okay…where do I start? Master Knives, she is unlike any woman I have ever met before. She has a heavenly aura around her that allows her to look so angelic and beautiful. Her name is the sweetest I have ever heard…Silvia…" he said, rolling the heavenly name off his tongue, liking the way it felt.

Knives sweat-dropped, but said nothing as Midvalley continued.

"Her eyes are like the ocean, so blue and free. Would you like to hear the poem I wrote for her?" Before Knives could decline the offer, Midvalley cleared his throat. "Silvia, thou art like the wind, blowing freely in the heavens. An angel that transcends, obliterating all that matters. She is a goddess above all else, not even Aphrodite can compare. Her eyes are like--" He was interrupted.

"Midvalley," Knives said a little too calmly.

"Yes, Master Knives?" Midvalley asked a bit nervous.

"Will you please…SHUT UP!?"

Midvalley sweat-dropped. "Yes, Master Knives…"

"Good." Knives turned around and walked away without another word.

Midvalley frowned. "That sure was…awkward…" And he went on about his day.

--------------

Back at school, Vash was sitting in the nurse's office with a washrag, filled with ice, on his forehead, being held up by Meryl. Meryl sighed as she kept the ice-filled cloth on the poor boy's head.

"You know, Vash, you really didn't have to get hit with that ball," Meryl said smoothly.

Vash just wanted to melt then and there. He grinned. "Meryl, I told you. I'd rather get hit than you. End of discussion, okay?"

The girl sighed again. "Okay…"

Soon, the nurse returned with a bright smile on her face. "Vash? Luckily, no real damage was done. No broken nose or fractured skull…you're good to go!" She announced.

Vash jumped up from his seat, knocking Meryl over. "Great! Let's go!"

Meryl sighed in annoyance as she got up and followed Vash out of the room.

The nurse smiled as she watched the two teens leave. "Oh! Don't they just make the cutest couple?!" she squealed to the student next to her, who only raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

--------------

With fifteen minutes of gym time left, the two students had no choice but to return to class. Upon arrival, Millie quickly hurried over to them.

"Meryl! Vash! Are you okay?!"

Vash grinned. "Yeah, nothing's broken."

Millie sighed in relief. "That's good!"

"Meryl," Legato said as he made his way over to the three. "I'm quite sorry for my master's actions." He bowed down in deep respect.

Meryl nervously backed up. "Um…it's alright…"

Legato shook his head. "No, it was foolish of him to commit such an act. Please, accept my most profound apology." He grabbed her hand and gently kissed it.

Meryl blushed. "Um…"

Vash glared as a hatred for the blue-haired psycho burned deep within his aqua-blue orbs. Thoughts of torturing Legato came to mind as he evilly cackled to himself. His eyes widen when he realized what he was thinking. _'What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking of torturing Legato…? I've never had such thoughts before!'_

The ending bell finally rang as most of the students left to go to lunch. Legato's golden eyes fell upon Vash. Vash blinked at him. Legato smirked, turning his attention back to Meryl. "My fair lady, I must be on my way. We will meet again." With that said, Legato gave Meryl another gentle kiss on the hand before leaving.

Everyone stared at him in mild shock or amusement.

Meryl shook her head. "That was…"

"Weird," Nicholas, who'd finally decided to join the others, finished with an arched eyebrow.

Everyone nodded, still watching the retreating form of Legato Bluesummers. Vash growled deep in his throat as the blue-haired, golden-eyed boy disappeared. What was he up to, anyway? Did he expect to win Meryl over? **_I WILL GET YOU, LEGATO!!_**

Everyone's gaze turned to Vash. He blinked and blushed as the realization that he hadn't said that to himself, but out loud, dawned on him. He nervously laughed. "Uh, hehe…well, look at the time! Gotta run!" He ran out of the gym room like a bat outta hell.

Meryl sighed. "Things just keep getting weirder."

"You have no idea how weird, little cuz." Nicholas shook his head, also heading out of the room. Soon, everyone was gone except for Meryl. She sighed once more before sitting on the blenchers.

"_Aw…aren't you a sad one!"_ A voice said mysteriously.

Meryl eyes darted around the room. "Who said that?"

"_It is I!"_ The voice continued.

Meryl blinked. "Who?"

"_LOOK DOWN HERE!"_

Meryl blinked again and glanced down at a basketball. "A…basketball?"

"_Correct!"_

Meryl fell back in exasperation, placing a slender hand over her forehead. "It's official. I've lost it."

-----------------

Previews of the Next _Episode_: (Yet to be released)

-----------------

There are no previews because I am stuck. O.O I'm so deep in the hole, I can't climb out…I need a ladder or some rope…any takers?

Also, if I could ask you…could you…I dunno, check out my forum site? Please? And if you like it, could you join? **/puppy-dog eyes/ (Link's in my profile, since I can't post links in here)**

Next chapter will be here soon…hopefully…


	9. Only Time

**Author's Note**: I like to thank **_Aine of Knockaine _**(School dance idea/race (that I so forgot about) idea) and **_vashluver1_** (House Party Idea) for the help. THANKS A BUNCHIES! You guys rock!

**Note to Readers**: cheesy background music I like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, and supported my story. It means a whole lot to me. Here's a special update. What is so special about it? Nothing, because it's just here! XP

Also, Merry Christmas to everyone, if I don't get the next chapter out before than, and, so you'd know, the next chapter, will be a special Christmas one. So, it'll be here either before or after Christmas, it all depends on WHEN I get it done…now, without further ado, please enjoy chapter nueve!

_**SAP ALERT! EMOTIONAL OUTBREAK!**_

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**Chapter IX: Only Time**

Meryl fell back in exasperation, placing a slender hand over her forehead. "It's official. I've lost it."

"Meryl, I was sent here to tell you something," the basketball continued, taking no notice of the status of Meryl's sanity.

Meryl placed her elbows on her knees and stared at the ball in annoyance. "What?"

The ball cleared his throat. "My name is Bob. Bob the Ball. I am…"

She sighed. "You are?"

"I am…" The ball continued, pausing for a dramatic effect. "**_…your father_**! Your fairy **_godfather_**!"

If Meryl wasn't already sitting down, she would've fallen. "My what?!"

The basketball laughed. "I always wanted to say that!" Bob coughed. "What I meant to say is, I am your guardian angel."

"My guardian…angel?" The girl stared at the ball in disbelief.

"Hey, Meryl!" a voice shouted from across the gym room.

Meryl looked up to see her cousin making his way over to her. He was running with some sort of envelope in his right hand. Meryl stood up to greet him.

Nicholas ran up to her, not seeing the basketball that was by her feet. As he came towards her, he accidentally jammed his foot into it, sending the basketball soaring out the opened door.

"AAHHHHHH!!" Bob yelled in horror, disappearing from sight.

Nicholas sweat-dropped. "Uh, you weren't playing with that, were you?"

Meryl shook her head. "No, I was just about to get rid of it." She then gestured to the envelope in his hand. "What's that?"

Nicholas held up the envelope so she could see it a little more clearly. "This? This here is some invitations I want you to hand out."

"Invitations? To what?" Meryl grabbed the envelope and opened it to reveal more, smaller ones. She grabbed one of those and opened it to find a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, she read out loud. "'To friends: You are hereby invited to the party of the century. It will be held at my house, you know where that is. Bring booze. Sincerely, Nicholas, the coolest cat in town'?" Meryl looked up and raised an eyebrow at her cousin. "What is this?"

Nicholas grinned. "Exactly what it says. Now, hand these out to every person you see!"

Meryl handed Nicholas back the envelope. "We can't have a party. What about your parents?"

Nicholas shrugged. "What about 'em? They're going out for the weekend, David's going to be over at Vash's house hanging out with Vash's little sister, and that leaves just you and me with the house, favorite cuz!" Nicholas placed his arm around Meryl's shoulder.

Meryl narrowed her eyes, removing the arm. "Nick, I'm your **_only_** cousin."

"Which makes you my fav!" He handed her back the envelope. "Now, please hand these out! I can't give them out all by myself. Please, Mer'?" Cue the puppy-dog eyes.

Meryl turned away from the dreaded puppy-dog eyes. They were her only weakness… mustn't give in…she must not give in…"Okay, fine!" She took the envelope from him.

Nicholas eyes instantly lit up. "Thanks Mer'! You're the best!" He gave his cousin a quick peck on the cheek before running out of the room.

Meryl sighed. What had she gotten herself into now?

-----

_Later that day  
__After school_

Meryl was exhausted. Oh, the classes were just fine. After all, Meryl was just about the smartest kid in her class and the only one who didn't mind learning something new.

What made her exhausted was giving every single bloody kid in the school a bloody invitation for Nick's stupid "House Party of the Century".

Meryl was so lost in thought, or exhaustion, that she didn't notice the small shadow that was approaching her, fast.

She sighed, closing her eyes as she silently walked through the park. She didn't really feel like waiting for Nick, Vash, or Millie right now. All she wanted to do was go home and rest.

With her eyes closed, she didn't see the small object just a few inches in front of her as she walked through the park…

_**CRASH!**_

And Meryl found herself flat on her butt in the soft grass. She flinched as the pain shot up through her spine. She glanced over to see the object she had tripped on, and frowned in disbelief as she saw what it was.

"Hello, Meryl!" It was that basketball again.

And Meryl fell flat on the ground. She was too tired to say or do anything. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes once more, allowing the soft feeling of the wind to blow across her face.

But, to go on with the story without interference, the wind blew the basketball down the street.

Time began to pass, and she started to drift off. But all that was ruined as a dark shadow hovered over her. She opened her eyes to see the grinning face of…

Vash the Stampede.

She quickly sat up, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Hey, sleepy-head!" Vash plopped himself down on the ground next to her. "What'cha doing out here?"

Meryl sighed. "Trying to enjoy the peaceful scenery," she said, with sarcasm evident in her voice.

Vash nodded, not catching the sarcasm. "Yeah, it is pretty peaceful out here."

And then came the thick fog known as silence. For some odd reason, Meryl was having these strange feelings that bubbled up inside her stomach whenever Vash was around. She wondered if he felt those same strange feelings…

And, unbeknownst to her, he felt exactly the same every time he was around her. He was confused. In all his seventeen years of life, he had never felt this way about a girl before. Sure, he'd had his fair share of crushes, but this was different. He didn't exactly know _how_ different, but he knew it was different nonetheless.

Neither of them knew what to say to the other. To get rid of the uncomfortable silence that had settled in, Meryl decided to break it for once.

"So, are you coming to the party this weekend?" Meryl asked. It was so unlike her, she wanted to kick herself.

Vash glanced up from the interesting butterfly that he was staring at. "Huh? Oh, yeah, of course! It's gonna be the party of the century. And I have to come. After all, Nicholas is my best friend."

Meryl nodded. "Oh, right."

More silence. Then, Meryl stood up and dusted herself off. "Well, I should probably be going now." She readjusted her backpack.

Vash nodded as he stood up as well. "Well, I'll walk you."

Meryl shook her head. "No, it's okay."

Vash frowned in disappointment. "Why not?"

"Because I live right there, remember?" She pointed to the house that was only a few inches from the park.

Vash sweat-dropped. "Uh, yeah, I knew that." He laughed sheepishly as he placed a hand behind his head.

Shaking her head, Meryl started to head for her new home. Well, technically speaking, it isn't her _new_ home anymore, since she had been living there for a few months now.

The weather was getting colder, the trees were losing most of their leaves, and winter was just around the corner. From what her cousin told her, winter in Gunsmoke, Alabama, wasn't something to be taken lightly.

Anyways, back to the story (I just wanted to clear up a few things as to the season and the weather). Vash silently walked Meryl to her front door. Before she could open it, Vash cleared his throat to get her attention. It worked.

Meryl glanced up at the tall blond, waiting for him to say whatever it was that he had to say.

Vash grinned nervously. "Uh, say…Nick and I have this huge tournament next week…and I was wondering…if you would like to go? You know, for support or something…" He trailed off.

Meryl raised an eyebrow. "Okay, sure."

The boy's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? You'll go?"

Meryl nodded to confirm what she had just said, causing Vash to jumped up in excitement, grab her in a tight hug, and kiss her on the cheek.

Meryl was shocked as she watched Vash run off to his house. Who would've known that he would get so excited?

-----

_Saturday,  
__The night of Nick's party  
__9:00 PM (speeding through time here)_

"Okay, the number is by the 'fridge, call it if you have any trouble, okay, Nicholas?" Nick's mother, Janet, said to her son. She and Demetrius were about to leave for the weekend.

Demetrius gave his older son a strained look. "I'm trusting you Nicholas D. Wolfwood. I don't want a repeat of last time. You're lucky we're giving you this second chance."

Nick sighed as he waited 'patiently' for his parents to leave. "Look, Dad, it won't happen again, okay? Trust me. I'm your favorite son." He gave his parents a cocky grin, then continued. "Seriously, you can trust me. I will _not_ let David play football in the house again."

David glared at his brother. "That wasn't my fault!"

The older Wolfwood son ignored his brother. "Anyway, just go, before you miss your flight!"

Janet laughed. "Trying to get rid of us, huh?" She gave Nicholas a kiss on the cheek. "You boys behave."

Nicholas gRemaced as he wiped 'mother germs' off his beautiful face. "Mom, just go already!"

She then kissed her youngest son. "Alright, but remember, no parties."

"Yeah, sure, mom." Nick grinned mischievously as he crossed his fingers behind his back.

Demetrius looked around as if realizing something. "Where's Meryl?"

Nick shrugged. "Probably still in bed. You know how women can be." His mother glared at him and he sheepishly backed away. "Uh, kiddin' mom…"

"Well, tell her that the extra money is in the envelope in the kitchen on the counter." And with that finally said, Mister and Missus Wolfwood left the house, bidding their sons a final farewell as they went for their weekend long vacation in the Bahamas.

As soon as he was sure that their car had left the driveway, Nicholas did a Fred Flintstone, jumping and clicking his heels together. "YES! They're finally gone! I got the house to myself, again, for the weekend!!"

David rolled his eyes as he walked from the room. "Sheesh, grow up."

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_Two Hours Later  
__Saverem Residence  
__Vash's Room_

Vash was frantically searching his closet for something, all the while murmuring. "Oh man…where is it? Where is it? Come on! Come on! It has to be here somewhere!" He threw article of clothing after article of clothing out of his closet, only pausing for a second. "Hey, I was looking for this shirt." He then shrugged and threw that out, too.

"Looking for something, brother?" Knives asked, entering the room, not really caring about what it was that Vash was looking for.

Vash quickly spun around, startled by his brother's sudden appearance. "Kn-Knives!? What are you doing here?"

Knives shrugged as he leaned up against the doorframe. "Oh, I just thought I'd have a little…'chitchat'…with my brother, is all."

Vash gave his twin brother a suspicious look. "Chitchat? What about?" He cautiously sat on his bed, waiting for his brother to continue, an uneasy feeling arising in the pit of his stomach.

Knives crossed his arms. "Oh, nothing special, really. I've been doing a bit of…research, if you would. I found out a few interesting things, facts about us. You and me, brother."

Vash raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Knives?"

Knives laughed. And somehow, this laughter scared Vash to the core. A cold, freezing, shiver ran up his spine as the laugh of his twin echoed throughout his head.

Abruptly, Knives laughter ceased, his eyes a chillingly icy color as he looked upon the other boy. Vash was becoming afraid of his own twin brother. "Knives…?"

Knives didn't budge, didn't even appear to be breathing. When he finally spoke, it shook Vash to the very core of his soul. "We're different, Vash. This world we're living in, it isn't real. None of it is. We are the only real beings here. We are the true gods that these mortals seek."

Vash shook his head. "Knives, what's gotten into you? This doesn't sound like you at all! What do you mean, 'gods'? We're not gods! And everything **_is_** real!"

"Is that what you believe, brother?" Knives huffed, narrowing his eyes. "Believe me, brother, there is much more to this that meets the eye. So much more. Think it over," he said, and turned to leave. Suddenly he glanced back. "I'll be waiting for you." And then he was gone.

Vash released the breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding, and fell back against his bed. He was sweating, but his body was as cold as ice. What had just happened here? What was wrong with his brother? And what was he talking about? _'None of this is real?' _So many questions…and so little answers…

The object he was looking for was long forgotten.

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_Later that Night_

_**Knock, Knock!  
**__**Knock! KNOCK!**_

Meryl groaned as someone banged on her bedroom door. She angrily stood up from the desk she'd been sitting at, deeply engrossed in her book, "A Midsummer's Night," by Shakespeare (that was the first story to come to mind!).

She tore open the door, ready to curse out whoever was on the other side, only to have that someone shove their way into her room. Meryl raised an eyebrow, her intended insult gone from her thoughts as she stared at the distracted person now standing in her room. "Vash?" she asked, unsure of herself as she gently shut the door. Vash looked a mess. "Vash? Are you okay?"

Vash restlessly shook his head. "No, I-I'm sorry if I'm bothering you…I'm not, am I? I just…needed someone to talk to…I'd leave if you asked me to."

Meryl glanced longingly at her fallen book before turning back to the distressed young man. She sighed. "No, it's okay. Vash, what's wrong? You look worried."

"It's Knives," was the only thing he said.

"Knives…?" Meryl raised an eyebrow. Why would Vash come to her about his brother?

Vash sat on the bed, placing his head in the palms of his hands. He took a deep breath to steady himself. "He's…something's different about him…I know he was crazy before…but now, now he's just…I don't know how to explain it," Vash said.

Meryl sat down next to him, allowing him to take his time. "It's okay, take your time. I'm here to listen…"

Vash looked up at her, a slight smile curving his lips. "Thanks…" He took another deep breath before turning his head away and staring at the carpeted floor. "Well…Knives, he was saying these weird things. Things like "we're different" and "everything isn't real" and "we're gods". It was really freaking me out…but, that's not the worst of it…his eyes, they were…dark…cold…emotionless. They had no feeling in them whatsoever. It was like…looking into a hollow shell of someone who used to be. It scared me Meryl. That my brother, my own twin, could be something so…cold….so…" He trailed off. He wanted to burst into tears, he was afraid that he had lost his only brother, his best friend (besides Nick, of course), the closest thing he has, the one person he knew even before he was even born.

Meryl stayed silent as music from downstairs sounded through the walls and floor. Nick had started his party, but they paid it no mind.

She wasn't sure of what to do. Here was a troubled young man in her room…sitting on her bed…She was knocked out of her thoughts as Vash spoke once more.

"You know, we're adopted."

Meryl cleared her head and turned to face Vash. "Huh?"

"Knives and I, we're adopted. Rem isn't our real mother. Kit-Kat isn't our real sister, either. We never knew our real parents… I'm not even sure if we had any real parents."

Meryl felt real sympathy for him, but he didn't need her pity; what he needed was a shoulder to lean on, and she could provide that shoulder. For his sake, she could be his support.

"Knives and I were alone most of our lives, up until we were six, when Rem took us in as her own. That was when Alex, Rem's husband, was alive. They couldn't have children, so they adopted. But, then a few months later, a miracle happened, and Rem was pregnant with Kit-Kat. Before Rem could tell Alex the news, though, he had gotten into a horrible accident. He died instantly. We were all devastated, Rem most of all. Well, of course she would be. After all, she lost the only man she ever truly loved. And he never knew that he was going to be a real father…Knives and I vowed to protect Rem and baby Katherine from any harm. For a while, we did good…but then Knives…he started to act weird…not as weird as now…but weird nonetheless…" Vash stopped, taking a deep breath.

Meryl's heart ached for the young man sitting beside her. She wanted to help him, she wanted to take all his fear and pain away. She wanted Vash to be happy, because he didn't deserve to be sad. No, not Vash.

Vash let out a bitter laugh, once more breaking Meryl out of her reveries. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this, huh?" He shrugged. "I don't know, really. I feel like I've known you my whole life. I feel closer to you than I've ever felt towards anyone, even Nicholas. I don't know why I feel this way, but I think…I think you coming here is the best thing ever happened to me." He turned to her, bright tears shining in the corners of his eyes. "Promise me…promise me you won't. Please?"

Meryl was speechless. She wasn't sure of what to say, but she knew what he needed her to say, what she _had_ to say. Slowly, she nodded her head. "O-okay…I…I promise…"

Then Vash grabbed her into a tight hug, not wanting to let go. "Thanks, Meryl." The loud music from the party was the only sound as the two shared that promise.

They slowly pulled apart and stared into each other's eyes. Meryl noticed, for the first time, how beautiful Vash's eyes actually were. They were the most beautiful she'd ever seen in her life. Moving her hand as if it had a mind of its own, she reached to touch the tall blonde's face.

Vash quickly grabbed ahold of her hand and held on, the feel of her smaller hands in his sending a pleasant chill down his spine. "Meryl…" His voice was barely above a whisper as he said the girl's name.

Meryl smiled softly, not saying a word as their faces drew nearer. Meryl closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss to come. She was nervous, extremely nervous, since this was the first time in her life that she'd been so close to a guy. A very handsome guy.

Vash was a bit nervous, too, as he closed the few inches between them. Was this really happening? He couldn't believe it…he was actually here…in Meryl's bedroom…about to kiss her!

And then…it was like magic. Their lips touched. All the nervousness, doubts, and everything else was gone from their minds. This wasn't like some stupid sappy romance novel. No, this was the real thing. Meryl could see the fireworks going off in her head. She was actually kissing Vash the Stampede! Her first, real kiss.

Vash was ecstatic. Finally, something hit him like a ton of breaks (not literally), a realization dawning on him…those feelings he had been having lately. Those feelings that only came when he was around Meryl....was it…could he possibly be in…love?

"_Love?"_

Vash's eyes snapped wide open as he pulled back, startling Meryl. Vash stared at her with pain in his eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry…I…I shouldn't have…" He shook his head to clear out all thoughts. That wasn't his voice…it was...Knives?

A chilling laugh echoed in his head.

Meryl smiled, albeit regretfully. "It's okay."

"No, it isn't," Vash sighed. "I should…be going." He stood to leave.

Meryl shook her head. "No, please, stay a while longer" Vash raised an eyebrow, and she blushed. "To keep me company…since Nicholas is having that party downstairs…"

Vash grinned. "Sure…" But inside, he was feeling something entirely different. Something was going to happen…and soon…but when? And what?

Only time would tell…

-----

Lurking in the shadows, a sinister figure grinned. "Soon, my brother, soon it will all change, for the better of our race…for the better of humanity!" Evil laughter sounded throughout the dark night as the figure disappeared, seemingly like magic.

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This came out later than I would like, but it's here now!

I redid this chapter three times…well, you know what they say, "Third time's a charm!" or something or other. XD

But wow, this chapter was…awesome. I'm impressed. And you know what? It's all because of you. Thanks a lot! You guys are the greatest! group hug

And also, it wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for Kitsune, the greatest beta-reader in the world! Give it up for her!

Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will be heading your way sooooon!

Happy New Years!!


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